Northern corroboree frog captive breeding program at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve sees success

Around 40 to 60 adult frogs are reproducing in the wild due to a captive breeding program at Tidbinbilla and some innovative research.

The tiny battler, usually confined to around 1600 to 1800 metres in the ACT, was released at lower elevation following observation of their NSW neighbours at 1000 metres.

Researchers believe the conditions are conducive to speedier growth, with lower altitudes also less favourable for the northern corroboree's main threat: chytrid fungus.

Ben Scheele, researcher at the Australian National University, said recent surveys found the frogs to be reproducing and in good condition, two years on from the first release.

The once abundant native has come close to extinction through a disease caused by the introduced fungus, which has been responsible for decline in frog species world wide.

Reduced rainfall caused by climate change, and habitat destruction caused by invasive species including brumbies, boars and deer, has also contributed to their decline in Kosciuszko and Namadgi, Dr Scheele said.

Hundreds of frogs and eggs have been released at several Namadgi sites over the last few years, with droughts and bushfires thought to have hindered their survival.

Dr Scheele said the establishment of a population at lower elevation was significant, contributing to what was likely the most frogs in Namadgi National Park in 15 or more years.

The ecologist, a specialist in the disease caused by the fungus, chytridiomycosis, said it was possible to one day see "high hundreds or even thousands at the site".

"There's ample food there. There's really good habitat," he said. "The key limitations will be what chytrid fungus is doing at the site."

Dr Scheele said it was likely a first for Australian research to identify an opportunity to create a population at an unfamiliar elevation, rather than going back to the site the chytrid fungus took hold.

"Hopefully, this can be a template for other jurisdictions and other parts of the world," he said.

Dr Scheel said there had already been six frog species, predominantly in Queensland, that had become extinct from chytrid fungus.

"We don't want the corroboree frogs to be the next species to join that list," he said.

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Monitoring of the research effort will continue for another two years, with the aim of establishing another site at lower elevation should the corroboree frogs continue to thrive.

ACT government ecologists, park rangers and the ANU will continue to work together on the joint conservation project, with Tidbinbilla remaining the base for captive breeding.

Environment Minister Rebecca Vassarotti said the program gave rise to cautious optimism.

Ms Vassarotti said the conservation effort was an example of how government can collaborate with research institutions to make sure everything possible was done to support threatened species, particularly in relation to the threats around climate change.

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