Two Species of Mountain Frogs Found in Protected Habitat Might be Extinct by 2055 — Gondwana

Even though two mountain frog species have a protected habitat in Gondwana, research indicated that they may become extinct by the year 2055.

According to urban legend, a frog placed in cold water that is brought to a boil will not respond and will perish horribly.

Even though this is false, a recent study from Southern Cross University found that mountain frog species that are stranded on heavenly islands are facing a similar situation due to climate change.

Even if their habitats are well protected in Gondwana World Heritage-listed national parks near the New South Wales - Queensland border, the study estimated that two of these mountain frogs, namely Philoria richmondensis and Philoria kundagungan, will go extinct by 2055.

Frogs vs. Climate Change

Liam Bolitho, a Ph.D. researcher from Southern Cross University, said that Up to 91% of their ecological niche could disappear quickly under the worst-case scenario of three degrees of warming.

These frogs won't survive in 50% of their current mountain habitats, even under the current trajectory of warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Bolitho is the lead author of the study.

He added that Due to their explicit ties to environmental temperature, bi-phasic life cycles, and need for moisture for breeding, frogs are especially vulnerable to climate change.

Six of the mountain frogs (Philoria), which belong to an ancient frog lineage, are only found in the cool temperate rainforests located in northern New south wales and Southeast Queensland's mountain tops in very small patches.

As a result of their speciation focused on the biogeography of Australia's rainforests, they are one of the World Heritage listing's main outstanding universal values.

Dr. David Newell, the project lead, said that these frogs are currently effectively stuck on islands in the sky because they are unable to travel away from their headwater stream breeding sites.

Although only two mountain frog species were modeled for the study, the researchers are confident that the findings apply to all species due to ecological similarities.

Newell said that It is very unsettling to consider that one of these species, the Philoria knowlesi, Mount Ballow Mountain Frog, which was described earlier this year, may go extinct within 30 years of its discovery.

Wildfires vs. Habitats

Numerous habitat areas for mountain frogs were harmed during the devastating wildfires of 2019 to 2020.

These forests have never experienced fire before.

Newell said that they are confident that climate change is a factor in these occurrences.

Monitoring after the fire has shown that there are still declines as well as localized extinctions occurring.

There is also the emergence of a new threat in the form of feral pigs as they can effectively destroy these frogs' habitat in a matter of days.

He added that without immediate action, these frogs will perish within this century.

Southern Cross University has launched a captive husbandry program called project GRASP with the help of the Bushfire Recovery for Wildlife and Habitat by the Australian Government, the NSW Government's Saving our Species (SoS) program, WWF Australia's Rewilding Australia Program, and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The program's goal is to carry out conservation translocations to support remaining populations, PhysOrg reported.

The study by Bolitho and Newell was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.