As part of the actions of the Binational Strategy for the Conservation of Darwin’s Frogs (2018-2028), specialists from various disciplines will participate in a workshop on January 6 and 7 at the University of Concepción (UdeC). This event aims to improve the protocols for ex situ reproduction, reintroduction, and translocation of the Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii), an iconic amphibian in danger of extinction.
The workshop is designed to involve researchers, representatives of NGOs, environmental authorities, and the academic community. This initiative seeks to consolidate the protocols developed at the Darwin’s Frog Station UdeC, which could serve as a model for other centers committed to the preservation of this species.
The Darwin’s frog, which inhabits areas from Concepción to Aysén in Chile and the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén in Argentina, is known for its unique parental care: males incubate the eggs in their vocal sac and release fully developed tadpoles. This behavior also characterizes its sister species, Rhinoderma rufum, known as the northern Darwin’s frog.
Workshop Objectives for Darwin’s Frog Conservation
According to Dr. Juan Carlos Ortiz Zapata, director of the station and academic at the Faculty of Natural and Oceanographic Sciences of UdeC, the workshop aims to:
- Establish protocols for the ex situ management of species of the genus Rhinoderma and their subsequent reintroduction into nature.
- Develop a reintroduction and translocation guide based on the guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- Strengthen strategies against threats such as chytrid fungus, the main cause of amphibian decline globally.
Progress and Challenges
The meeting takes place in a context of coordinated efforts to rescue frogs infected by chytrid fungus in Tantauco Park (Chiloé). This pathogen, for which there is still no effective treatment, invades the skin of amphibians, a key organ for their respiration and hydration. As a preventive measure, experts sent 50 specimens to England, while others remain under care at the University of Concepción.
“These individuals will be bred in captivity with the aim of creating populations that can be reintroduced or relocated in their natural habitat,” explained Dr. Ortiz, a specialist in Wildlife Management and Conservation.
International Participation and Financing for Darwin’s Frog Conservation
Among the workshop attendees are representatives from the Leipzig Zoo (Germany), who funded both the creation and expansion of the Darwin’s frog breeding station at UdeC. This collaboration includes the establishment of a new module to receive frogs from Tantauco Park.
Additionally, experts from the Institute of Zoology in England, the National Parks Administration of Argentina, and various Chilean institutions, such as the Ministry of the Environment, the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service, and non-governmental organizations, will participate.
The workshop reflects the commitment to integrating scientific, technical, and financial efforts to ensure the conservation of this unique amphibian. The Darwin’s frog symbolizes both the challenges and opportunities in biodiversity conservation in the face of global threats such as climate change and habitat loss.
What is the status of Darwin’s frog?
According to the international non-profit organization dedicated to nature and environmental conservation, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Darwin’s frog is classified as Endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and by the Species Classification Regulation of the Chilean Ministry of the Environment (RCE).
Despite this classification, southern frogs are luckier than the northern Darwin’s frogs, last seen in 1981, leading to their classification as Critically Endangered, or likely extinct.
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