University Report: Endangered Native Animal - Corroboree Frog Analysis

This report focuses on the critically endangered Corroboree frog, an Australian species facing severe threats. It details the frog's habitat and the factors contributing to its decline, including chytridiomycosis, climate change, ultraviolet radiation, bushfires, and human construction. The report analyzes the frog's endangered status and explores various conservation strategies undertaken by institutions like the New South Wales National Park and Wildlife Service, including population monitoring, breeding trials, habitat protection, pathogen protection, community awareness, and translocation. The challenges associated with each strategy are also critically evaluated. The report concludes with a personal perspective on the urgency of protecting the remaining population and the importance of prioritizing natural habitat preservation before extensive human intervention. The report references numerous scientific studies and resources to support its analysis and recommendations.

Running head: ENDANGERED NATIVE ANIMAL
Endangered Native Animal: Corroboree frog
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ENDANGERED NATIVE ANIMAL
Location and Background
Corroboree frogs are one of Australia’s most critically endangered species. These frogs
mainly inhabit 1.3 to 1.8 kilometers above the sea level at the Sphagnum wetland of sub alpine
area (Corroboreefrog.org.au 2017). It has been found only in the national park of Mount
Kosciuszko. The name bears the tradition of the Australian Aboriginals. The decline of the
population of this kind of frogs has drawn attention from nature activists and scientists to protect
them from becoming extinct.
Critically Analysis of the Reasons of extinction
The species does not get challenges from any natural predators as it secrets poisonous
toxins but there are several factors that have been fueling to the extinction of the species.
Chytridiomycosis
The species has experienced severe attack from a specific fungus named
Batrachochytriul dendrobatidis. The disease that is cause by the fungus named Chytridiomycosis
has already contributed significantly in mass extinction of other species in eastern Australia
(Scheele et al. 2017). The fungus attacks keratin that is present in high amount in the adult frogs
or in the tadpoles. The infection caused harmful changes into the frogs’ skin layers that
eventually become deadly.
Climate change
The climate change is another significant factor that has been contributing in the
extinction of Corroboree frogs. The heat increase due to global warming is alarming. It has been

ENDANGERED NATIVE ANIMAL
affecting the breeding pools of the frogs and damaging their eco system (Environment.gov.au
2017).
Ultraviolet radiation
The increased Ozone has largely increased the UV radiation. The high exposure of
ultraviolet rays has caused serious damage for the amphibious existence. The UV rays affect the
embryos and egg DNAs. The radiation also caused harm in the water and damages the other bio
organisms (Brannelly et al. 2015). The alpine lakes of that region are not deep; therefore the low
organic carbon in the water causes great threats for the Corroboree frog’s existence.
Bushfire
It has been observed before that bushfire can kill of a significant number of Corroboree
Frogs. The sphagnum wetland’s bushfire in the Kosciuszko Park caused threat for the frogs’
lives as they did not come back to the area again (Abc.net.au 2015). The fire destroys their
natural shelter, breeding areas, causes high dehydration.
Construction
During the 1970s the construction of the Hydro-electric project in the snowy mountains
has eliminated a large number of Corroboree frogs of that region (Hunter 2012). The
construction of roads in this area causes low water level and dry outs and hampers their natural
breading places.
Close to Extinction
The Corroboree frogs are registered in the red list by International Union for Coservation
of Nature as ‘critically endangered’. The EPBC and NPW Act also have identified the species as
endangered. An investigation in 2014 revealed that the total number of the Corroborree frogs are

ENDANGERED NATIVE ANIMAL
not more than 50 which is which got reduced by 99% since 1980s (Theconversation.com 2017).
Immediate effective human intervention is necessary in order to prevent them from acute
extinction.
Different strategies for protection: compare, contrast, challenges
‘The New South Wales National park and Wildlife Service’ and other institutions like the
“Amphibian Research Centre” and the Canberra University collaboratively undertaking various
strategies to ensure the protection of the Corroboree frogs in the region through a five year plan.
Monitoring the population trend
Various treatments will be applied in this stage like the precipitation, altitude, size of
population and catchment, breeding or non-breeding habitat, before and after population size
(Skerratt et al. 2016). The tadpoles will be minutely observed to examine the success of the
breeding. As the study takes place for a long period, so it may experience fluctuations in the
process of receiving effective data that can represent the population data appropriately.
Breeding trials
The trial reintroduction of the Corroboree frogs aged between 4-5years can increase the
population. However protecting the existing frogs should be first priority and they should not be
harmed in any way during the trial process.
Protecting their habitat
The drainage pattern of the region must be evaluated and repair the existing damages
without hampering the natural habitat. The natural habitats of Alpine Bogs are listed in the
“Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999”
(Environment.gov.au 2017). The threats will be minimized. The climate in the Research centre

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or Zoo is controlled and quarantine facilities are provided to protect them. The ongoing
development and construction might contradict this process.
Protection from pathogens
James Cook University is experimenting to build the immunity from the Chytrid fungus
(Brannelly et al. 2016). However the expensive genetic research is creating challenges.
Developing community awareness
The camping of the outsiders must be restricted. The conservation management will set
some specific rules and guidelines have to be set for the people. The feral animals will be
controlled (Braysher and Arman 2014).
Translocation
The scientists in the National park have developed few fungus free artificial breeding
pools where the eggs of the Corroboree frogs have been successfully relocated (Scheele et al.
2014). The frogs take almost 5 years to grow mature so whether the eggs are able to survive that
much time in the artificial pool is yet to be explored.
Personal Point of View
I believe the immediate concern should be the protection of the existing frogs as only
about 100 are left in the whole world. Too much experiment might end up in harming them.
However only after ensuring the best natural habitat they must be allowed to breed naturally.
After that only few can be selected to incorporate the human intervention to increase the number.
Effective precaution and preparation must be taken prior to the experiment. The human
intervention might save the Corroboree frogs of the Alpine from extinction as it did for the
Galapagos tortoises.

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Reference
ABC News. (2015). Endangered frogs bouncing back in ACT: ecologists. [online] Available at:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-15/namadgi-endangered-northern-corroboree-frogs-
bouncing-back/6291648 [Accessed 12 Sep. 2017].
Brannelly, L.A., Berger, L., Marrantelli, G. and Skerratt, L.F., 2015. Low humidity is a failed
treatment option for chytridiomycosis in the critically endangered southern corroboree
frog. Wildlife Research, 42(1), pp.44-49.
Brannelly, L.A., Hunter, D.A., Skerratt, L.F., Scheele, B.C., Lenger, D., McFadden, M.S.,
Harlow, P.S. and Berger, L., 2016. Chytrid infection and post‐release fitness in the reintroduction
of an endangered alpine tree frog. Animal Conservation, 19(2), pp.153-162.
Braysher, M. and Arman, O., 2014. Managing Feral Horses in Namadgi National Park, Australia:
A Sensitive Operation. In Proceedings 26th Vertebrate Pest Conference. Hawaii (pp. 149-155).
Corroboreefrog.org.au. (2017). Fast Facts – Corroboree Frog. [online] Available at:
http://www.corroboreefrog.org.au/biology/fast-facts/ [Accessed 12 Sep. 2017].
Hunter, D., 2012. National Recovery Plan for the Southern Corroboree Frog, Pseudophryne
corroboree, and the Northern Corroboree Frog, Pseudophryne pengilleyi.
Scheele, B.C., Hunter, D.A., Grogan, L.F., Berger, L.E.E., Kolby, J.E., McFadden, M.S.,
Marantelli, G., Skerratt, L.F. and Driscoll, D.A., 2014. Interventions for Reducing Extinction
Risk in Chytridiomycosis‐Threatened Amphibians. Conservation Biology, 28(5), pp.1195-1205.
Scheele, B.C., Skerratt, L.F., Grogan, L.F., Hunter, D.A., Clemann, N., McFadden, M., Newell,
D., Hoskin, C.J., Gillespie, G.R., Heard, G.W. and Brannelly, L., 2017. After the epidemic:

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Ongoing declines, stabilizations and recoveries in amphibians afflicted by
chytridiomycosis. Biological Conservation, 206, pp.37-46.
Skerratt, L.F., Berger, L., Clemann, N., Hunter, D.A., Marantelli, G., Newell, D.A., Philips, A.,
McFadden, M., Hines, H.B., Scheele, B.C. and Brannelly, L.A., 2016. Priorities for management
of chytridiomycosis in Australia: saving frogs from extinction. Wildlife Research, 43(2), pp.105-
120.
The Conversation. (2017). Australian endangered species: Southern Corroboree Frog. [online]
Available at: https://theconversation.com/australian-endangered-species-southern-corroboree-
frog-16189 [Accessed 12 Sep. 2017].