What’s Threatening the Horned Marsupial Frog?

There are hundreds of species of frog in the world, each with unique and wondrous features that set it apart from others like it. Some of those frogs are, unfortunately, endangered, and it’s possible that some of them may go extinct if humans do not intervene to aid their repopulation.

One such species of frog is the horned marsupial frog, which has been on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List for a few years due to its steadily declining population in its native range. Let’s examine this fascinating frog and explore what’s being done to save the species.

What Is the Horned Marsupial Frog?

The horned marsupial frog is an amphibian species endemic to Central and South America. The frog can be found in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia with a small population in Ecuador. Unfortunately, in its native range, the frog may already be functionally extinct according to the IUCN’s Red List website. The last assessment for the species’ conservation status occurred in January of 2021 when the IUCN placed the frog in the “critically endangered” category, where it has remained since.

Horned marsupial frogs are nocturnal and have a smooth dorsal surface with a series of ridges along its body. Its head is broad with two flaps above its bulbous eyes. The frog’s fingers have discs with webbing and long, powerful hind legs with additional webbing. Males will call from high trees making a loud “bop” noise in intervals of roughly 8 to 12 minutes.

Unlike some other frog species, the horned marsupial frog reproduces by direct development. The female frog releases eggs from her body for the male to fertilize and return to a pouch on her back (thus the name “marsupial”), where she carries and gestates the eggs until they hatch as fully developed frogs sometime later. The eggs of the horned marsupial frog are the biggest amphibian eggs known to science at this time.

Threats to the Horned Marsupial Frog

The horned marsupial frog faces a wide variety of threats, one of the worst being the expansion of residential and commercial development in its habitat.

This frog also faces habitat destruction from the expanding agricultural and aquacultural sectors in the area. There are a growing number of livestock farms and ranches, as well as farms for annual and perennial crops. Creating the appropriate landscape for farming, regardless of whether the goal is to plant crops or livestock, often requires massive deforestation, and the horned marsupial frog is a forest canopy-dwelling species.

There is also a threat from mining and quarrying that occurs in the areas where the frog lives. These activities can directly or indirectly result in a thinning of animal populations in the area where they occur. Mining devices and blast zones can also result in habitat destruction.

Invasive species and foreign diseases also present a strong threat to the horned marsupial frog’s population. The introduction of non-native animals by settlers from across the sea has had negative impacts globally, but some species, like the horned marsupial frog, feel the impact of the introduction of foreign species to the land more strongly.

Additional Threats

Since the frog is an amphibian, it is also more sensitive to pollutants that some other species. Water, air, and soil pollution can all have negative impacts on the horned marsupial frog’s populations and prevent them from adequately reproducing to replace the aging population.

Finally, the horned marsupial frog must contend with major droughts and landscape changes brought on by climate change. Droughts can permanently alter or destroy the foliage and other environmental factors that the frogs rely on for daily life, leaving them with no habitable home.

What Can We Do to Protect the Horned Marsupial Frog?

There are a few options for individual citizens looking to participate in the conservation effort for the horned marsupial frog. The IUCN already has an active action recovery plan for the horned marsupial frog in place. Thus, the most effective way for civilians to participate in the protection of the species is to donate directly to funds that support its conservation. The IUCN has yet to establish an area management plan for this species, but it occurs in at least one are that is already protected for other reasons and it is subject to ex-situ conservation, where experts relocate members of the species from their native lands to dedicated alternate conservation sites with the potential to either re-introduce the species to its native range or introduce it to another suitable habitat.

One cost-free way for civilians to help with the conservation efforts for this species is to get involved in education and awareness programs. Those looking for chances to work with these frogs can look for programs run directly by the IUCN to make the most impact. Another organization that citizens can support directly that works with the horned marsupial frog is Fundación Jocotoco in Ecuador. The organization works with several endangered species endemic to Ecuador, including this beautiful frog.