Endangered froglets born at London Zoo after 7,000 mile journey
Endangered froglets born at London Zoo after 7,000 mile journey
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More than 30 endangered froglets have been born at London Zoo, following a 7,000-mile rescue mission that saw their parents retrieved from a fungus-threatened native habitat. The Darwin’s frog, named after the Victorian naturalist who discovered them, faces extinction due to the introduction of the deadly chytrid fungus to their native habitat. The threat to their habitat recently prompted conservationists to launch an emergency rescue mission that saw them head to a remote part of an island off the coast of Chile.
![[London Zoo welcomes endangered froglets after dramatic 7,000-mile rescue]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2025/02/03/00/31172616-1e05e3b5-fb34-4d05-b1e2-2eed281320f1.jpg?crop=8:5,smart&quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
They went on the expedition last October before returning to London Zoo, where 33 froglets were born, carried and brooded by 11 male frogs. Surveys in 2023 confirmed the deadly chytrid fungus, which the tiny creatures are particularly susceptible to, arrived in Chile’s south – in Parque Tantauco forests, which once served as a sanctuary for the species. Within a year, there was a catastrophic 90 per cent decline in monitored populations due to amphibian chytridiomycosis. The infectious disease has now affected hundreds of amphibian species.
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Survival of the Darwin’s frog could depend on safe refuges like the one London Zoo has provided as conservationists work out how to make their forest home safe. However, finding these frogs was no small feat, and involved a hunt for the fully grown fathers coming in at less than 3cm – and weighing less than 2g. Ben Tapley, ZSL’s curator of amphibians, said: “This is a landmark moment in our work to protect the Darwin’s frog from the devastating impact of chytrid fungus.
“The successful parent-rearing of these froglets is a powerful symbol of hope for the species, highlights what can be achieved when conservationists work together, and serves as a critical reminder of the role of our conservation zoo. “We knew we were embarking on something special – the clock was ticking, and we needed to act quickly if we were going to save these frogs – and capturing this work on film has really cemented just how vital our work is.”.
