Critically endangered southern corroboree frog conservation efforts ramp up

100 southern corroboree frogs have been released in Koscisuzko National Park (ABC South East: Keira Proust)

Tucked away in a remote corner of the New South Wales Kosciuszko National Park lies a specially handcrafted haven, built to bring the critically endangered southern corroboree frogs back from the brink of extinction.

There are only 30 of the frogs left living in the wild and conservation efforts have ramped up since the impact of the 2019-2020 bushfires on the national park.

Gabriel Wilks, a senior project officer for rehabilitation, has been part of a collaborative effort to release 100 of the frogs back into the national park.

"National Parks have built an enclosure here that is getting them field fit," she said.

The southern corroboree frog is critically endangered. (Supplied: Alex Pike DPE)

Only 30 of the frogs remain in the wild. (ABC South East NSW: Keira Proust)

The release is part of a collaborative breeding program between Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Victoria Zoos, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the NSW government's Saving our Species program.

Ms Wilks said without the program, the species would be extinct.

"They're certainly still at high risk, the mountains were once full of frogs.

"Now, we're talking hundreds, we should be talking millions, so we have a long way to go and a lot to learn."

Gabriel Wilks helped release the frogs into their new home in Kosciuszko National Park. (ABC South East NSW: Keira Proust)

Threatened by disease and bushfires

The deadly chytrid fungus disease has caused the rapid decline of the species.

Scientists and conservationists are attempting to combat the fungus through specially designed disease-free enclosures.

Several of these enclosures were destroyed during the Black Summer bushfires and a rescue mission was launched to see how the species had fared.

Sadly, close to two-thirds of the frogs died.

Kosciuszko National Park was badly burnt during the 2019-2020 bushfires. (ABC South East NSW: Keira Proust)

David Hunter, who has worked closely with the species for more than 25 years, said the new enclosure, built in a remote section of the park near Cabramurra, was essential for the species' survival.

"One of our main strategies to prevent major catastrophe for the program is spreading the risk," Dr Hunter said.

"So, we have multiple colonies in captivity and now we have multiple out here in these field enclosures."

There are now five enclosures set up across Kosciuszko National Park.

Dr Hunter has worked with southern corroboree frogs for 27 years. (ABC South East NSW: Keira Proust)

NSW Environment Minister James Griffin said the latest enclosure had been built to better withstand future fires.

"So, that means for future circumstances or issues where the frogs might be under threat from fire, the system will kick into action."

The enclosure has been built with irrigation systems to mitigate damage during bushfires. (ABC South East NSW: Keira Proust)

Dr Hunter said it was important that the population was boosted while scientists tried to find a solution to the deadly chytrid fungus.

"We're currently dealing with a threat to the southern corroboree frogs, this pathogen, which may take some time for us to work out a solution or a silver bullet on how to deal with it," he said.

"But in the meantime, our job is to make sure we maintain robust colonies of the frog."

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