The Threats Facing the Yellow-Spotted Tree Frog and the Efforts to Save It

The yellow-spotted tree frog is also known as the yellow-spotted bell frog, the New England swamp frog or the tablelands bell frog. It’s listed on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as critically endangered. This is the most emergent category for a species before it becomes extinct or extinct in the wild. This means there is a high likelihood of extinction for the species because the population has declined by 80% or more over the last three generations or ten years. It also implies there are less than 50 individuals left, and experts believe there is a more than likely chance of extinction within a decade.

About the Yellow-Spotted Tree Frog

The yellow-spotted tree frog is pale green with bronze patches that highlight dark spots. It has entirely webbed toes and is set apart from other frogs by the cream markings on its thighs. It’s found naturally in freshwater ponds, marshes, lakes, rivers, and swamps, along with temperate grassland. The species is native to south-eastern Australia, and the frog lives for four to five years.

Scientists believe the rapid decline in the frog population happened around 1981, and the species was hard to find until there was a rediscovery in 2009. At this point, tadpoles were collected to breed a new population at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. It took seven years to successfully breed the animal in captivity. During this time, the species was completely wiped out in the wild by unprecedented flooding in the area. 

In 2018, experts released captive animals into the wild, and the success is still to be determined. For purposes of classification, the IUCN considers the population to be at zero until those captives produce viable offspring. In the meantime, scientists continue to search for surviving populations in the wild.

Threats to the Yellow-Spotted Tree Frog

Like many critically endangered animals, the yellow-spotted tree frog faces a long list of threats to its existence. Conservation efforts center around minimizing these threats, but it takes collaboration and decades of work to reintroduce them to their natural habitat. 

One of the most severe threats that this amphibian faces is disease. Species extinctions and massive die-offs are attributed to a unique infectious disease that threatens frogs all over the world. It’s called chytridiomycosis and is deadly to the yellow-spotted tree frog. Frogs get the disease from the chytrid fungus.

A more moderate threat is the degradation and loss of the frog’s natural habitat. Cropping livestock farming, pesticides and herbicide use are all agricultural practices that threaten the species’ habitat. Experts believe they contributed to the modification and loss of wetland habitats and the removal of shelter habitats like rocks and debris. They also affect the water quality, and the natural water flow and remove adjacent vegetation.

Climate change is a potential threat to the species. As temperatures increase and extreme weather events become more common, the frog’s reproductive cycles are disrupted, their water sources dry up and they end up in polluted waters where they can’t thrive. 

As predatory fish like trout are introduced into the frog’s natural habitat, they become a problem for reproduction. They may not outright eat the frogs, but feast on the tadpoles before they have the chance to fully develop. Other invasive species like weeds can disrupt their streamside habits greatly.

Conservation Efforts for the Yellow-Spotted Tree Frog

Conservation efforts are centered around protecting and restoring wetland habitats and managing invasive species that threaten the species. Scientists also have captive breeding programs as an “insurance policy” to ensure the species doesn’t become totally extinct. 

Scientists also focus on disease management through things like probiotics and wild population monitoring. The hope is that they can identify the disease early enough to treat it before it kills the frogs. They also study the ecology, biology and immune system mechanisms of the frog to better understand how to fight extinction. Genetic diversity is a big part of reintroducing the frogs to the wild.

There is also legislation in place in Australia to protect the species. Some areas are designated as critical habitats to ensure that any frogs reintroduced to the wild don’t have to fight for their habitat.

How You Can Help

One of the best ways for citizens to get involved with conservation efforts is to educate yourself about climate change and development and how it affects the species. Places like the Amphibian Research Centre and the Taronga Conservation Society Australia focus on captive breeding programs and conserving the population through education and research. A donation to one of these organizations funds efforts to avoid extinction.