Flaviemys purvisi
Very Well-Known Member
7th May 2018
Richmond Range Mountain Frog. Photo: Dr David Newell
WORK to save two endangered frog species just received a much-needed boost, thanks to new funding for important conservation projects.
Fleay's Barred Frog is a large, stream breeding species that has been decimated by the amphibian chytrid fungus, while the Richmond Range Mountain Frog lives in burrows and can be difficult to detect.
Funding for projects to monitor and protect these two frog species was announced by Lismore MP Thomas George and Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton.
Fleay's frog. Photo: Dr David Newell
"Australia has many unique frog species, but they are also very delicate creatures and sensitive to change in their environment,” Mr George said.
"The new projects will closely monitor these two frog species so we can better understand their habitat and the diseases impacting their survival.”
Dr David Newell from Southern Cross University will be working alongside the Office of Environment and Heritage to deliver these projects.
He said the Fleay's Barred Frog project will see individual frogs tagged and recaptured over time to assess the presence of the fungus each time they are recaptured.
Technology will be used to record and analyse sound recordings of the Richmond Range Mountain Frog to understand their calling behaviour and habitat requirements.
Dr David Newell from Southern Cross University and Austin Curtin, Nationals' candidate for Lismore, welcome funding to protect two threatened frog species.
Ms Upton said that the partnership with Dr Newell was key to the success of these projects.
"Dr Newell has been undertaking long-term monitoring and ecological research into amphibians within the World Heritage rainforests of northern NSW for over twenty years,” Ms Upton said.
"Combining Dr Newell's expert knowledge and expertise with the NSW Government's contribution of $150,000 for these new projects will help improve the conservation outcomes for these frogs.”
The NSW Government has invested $100 million over five years in the Saving Our Species program which aims to secure as many threatened species as possible in the wild for the next 100 years.
