Creating Refuge for Spotted Tree Frogs

Without conservation intervention, spotted tree frogs (Litoria spenceri) face extinction caused largely by habitat destruction, non-native predatory fish and chytrid fungus. Their range has constricted by over 50% in eastern Australia, and remaining sites are under threat.

With WCF support, Zoos Victoria used long-term, broad-scale monitoring to review the conservation status of the species and determine the most effective strategies for management interventions. The project also identified and mapped refuge sites with lower levels of chytrid fungus to secure as insurance populations.

Zoos Victoria engaged Traditional Owners to undertake monitoring and removal of invasive predatory fish in key refuges for the frogs. The team also worked collaboratively with recreational fishing groups to ensure that management was supported by local communities. Other threatened species, such as barred galaxias and Murray spiny cray, are also impacted by non-native fish and are expected to benefit from this program.

Over 18 months, Zoos Victoria worked with eight people from the Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC) to mechanically remove introduced fish and monitor changes in the native fish and frog populations. A Biomark scanner allowed the team to monitor the movement of microchipped fish at management and control sites.

Overall, the team removed 15,000 introduced fish and observed a large increase in the recruitment rates of native fish in the managed areas. The team also noted early signs of increased recruitment of spotted tree frogs in 2024.

Wild Research Pty Ltd, TLaWC, ARI, Zoos Victoria and other stakeholders will continue to evaluate changes in the fish populations over the six years of the trial.