30 November 2018
Frogs are a vital part of our ecosystem and are great indicators of the success of our restoration efforts. Frogs add to our biodiversity and are an important part of the food chain for birds, snakes and fish.
“One species that has been lost from our site and also regionally is the Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis), and we are looking into how we can reintroduce the species back to the reserve,” said Dr Lisa Farnsworth, Restoration Ecologist at Winton Wetlands.
In a project supported by the Wettenhall Environment Trust, Winton Wetlands staff and volunteers are embarking on an innovative plan that aims to re-establish the charismatic Growling Grass Frogs on the reserve. Key project activities include:
- Monitoring frog calls (collected by citizen scientists) through acoustic recording, to remotely identify species.
- Researching the feasibility of reintroducing the species including testing for appropriate water quality, water temperature and vegetation cover
- Habitat enhancement appropriate to the species requirements
- Analysis to determine the extent of chytrid fungus on the reserve (an infectious disease that affects amphibians worldwide)
“We are improving frog habitat through revegetation and the addition of rocks to allow Growling Grass Frogs to bask in the sun and to limit the spread of chytrid fungus”.
