The frog, Rhinoderma darwinii, which is also known as the Southern Darwin's frog, was discovered by Charles Darwin during a trip to Chile.
The London Zoo announced that 33 Darwin’s frogs were born at the London Zoo, part of a future captive breeding effort to save the species from extinction, the zoo said.
The frog has suffered from the Chytridiomycosis fungus, with an estimated 90 percent of the population wiped out since the disease arrived in the Parque Tantauco forests in southern Chile in 2023. The species has also suffered loss of habitat due to conversion of native forests to tree plantations.
“These frogs represent a critical piece of Chile’s biodiversity and natural heritage, and their survival hinges on our ability to protect them from chytrid fungus,” Ben Tapley, London Zoo’s Curator of Amphibians said in a statement posted on the zoo’s website. “By establishing a population here at London Zoo, we not only safeguard their survival but can also raise awareness of the urgent conservation challenges they face. Projects like these underline the importance of conservation zoos in conserving Endangered species, like the Southern Darwin’s frogs, for generations to come.”
Conservationists in October 2024 went to Chile in search of healthy specimens and were able to collect 52 frogs that were then sent to the London Zoo. The collection included 11 male frogs that were carrying 33 tadpoles on their backs that were born at the zoo.
The frogs are set up in pairs, in enclosures that mimic their natural habitat. They will form the basis for a breeding program of the species.
Darwin’s Frog Information
The frog, Rhinoderma darwinii, which is also known as the Southern Darwin’s frog, was discovered by Charles Darwin during a trip to Chile. French Zoologists named the frog after Charles Darwin in 1841. It is a small frog measuring about 0.9 to 1.2 inches in length, snout to vent. They are brown and green in coloration, with females tending to be brown and males varying in color. Males have shown to change color in captivity. The Darwin’s frog is native to Chile and Argentina. it is found in forested areas at up to 3,600 feet above sea level. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and its survival is dependent on conservation activities such as that which will occur at the London Zoo. Its recovery potential is high.