Park rangers and scientists from Chile and Argentina launched a pioneering program to monitor Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) in the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, using its characteristic call as a research tool.
Passive acoustic monitoring: a non-invasive technique
The first activity involved installing automatic recording devices in the forest, small recorders programmed to capture sounds at regular intervals. The goal is to capture the call of the male of the species, which emits a series of short whistles similar to a chick’s chirp: “piii piii piii pi”.
This methodology, known as passive acoustic monitoring, allows information to be obtained about the population without disturbing the animals. The equipment records the sounds automatically, and researchers only need to periodically replace batteries and download data.
Science and conservation in the face of climate change
Doctoral fellow Maximiliano Rocchi, who applies this technique in both countries, highlighted that acoustic records will help understand how climate change could affect the reproductive activity of the species.
Meanwhile, park ranger Alexis Gajardo, leader of the monitoring in Vicente Pérez Rosales, emphasized that this tool is essential. Especially for an effective management of conservation objects, particularly amphibians like Darwin’s frog.
“This work allows for the collection of valuable information not only about the species but also about the characteristics and conditions of its habitat, contributing to more informed, adaptive, and efficient management within the park,” Gajardo noted.
A trans-Andean collaboration
The monitored frogs belong to two populations discovered in 2025, as part of the collaboration between the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park (Chile) and Nahuel Huapi (Argentina), with technical advice from the Darwin’s Frog NGO.
The project is part of cooperation agreements such as the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin’s Frogs and the Chile-Argentina Joint Parks Agreement, which promote coordinated actions to protect species and reduce common threats that transcend borders.
A unique amphibian in the world
Darwin’s frog measures just 3 cm and inhabits exclusively the rainforests of southern Chile and Argentina. It is globally recognized for its unique mode of reproduction: the male incubates the eggs in its vocal sac, and the tadpoles develop in its mouth until they are released as fully formed small frogs.
The president of the Darwin’s Frog NGO, Dr. Andrés Valenzuela-Sánchez, recalled that this species is a symbol of Patagonian biodiversity and a “conservation umbrella”, as its protection implies preserving the entire native forest ecosystem.
Ecological and conservation importance
- Natural pest control: regulates insect populations in its environment.
- Environmental health indicator: its sensitivity makes it an excellent bioindicator of temperate forests.
- Role in the food chain: it is a food source for other species.
- Conservation symbol: its protection ensures the survival of the native forest and other associated species.
Unique characteristics
- Singular reproduction: the male raises the tadpoles in its vocal sac.
- Perfect camouflage: its coloration allows it to blend in with the forest floor leaves.
- Endemism: it inhabits only the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina.
The acoustic monitoring of Darwin’s frog represents a scientific and conservation advancement that strengthens binational cooperation and offers new tools to face climate change.
This amphibian, small in size but enormous in ecological importance, is consolidated as a symbol of Patagonian biodiversity and a reminder of the fragility of the ecosystems we must protect.
