1200 Booroolong Frogs Released in Nundle

0:00Sydney stories, making news on March 2nd. Conservationists in the rolling hills of Nundle, Northwest New South Wales, have just released 1,200 endangered boreal along frogs, into nearby waterways. These small amphibians, no bigger than 5 cm with grayish black bodies and white bellies, come from a breeding program at Taranga Zoo. It's part of a bigger push to bring back a species hit, hard by tough times. Over the past three years, teens have put 1,500 of these frogs back into streams around Tamworth. This latest release marks the program's high point so far. The effort pulls together the New South Wales Environment Department, Taranga staff, and local experts who have worked tirelessly on it. The frogs were once common in the area, but got wiped out locally during the brutal drought from 2017 to 2019. Things dried up completely, leaving no habitat. A local ecologist first sounded the alarm after years of watching the decline, which sparked the whole rescue mission. After six months growing

1:01in the lab, the frogs travel in special containers and get set free at night. That timing helps them dodge snakes and birds. Monitor's check on them later by spotting their eye shine, weighing them for health, and tracking who survives. The team feels great about the progress and plans to keep breeding more frogs for future releases. On-going surveys will show if they're settling in and breeding on their own across more streams in the region. This episode is brought to you in partnership with our sponsor. Lay back. Press play. Let the pillow do the rest. Sound meets comfort.