WASHINGTON TIMES (DC) 04 March 08 Rare frog breeds hope for survival
Wellington, New Zealand (AP): A rare and threatened species of tiny frog has been found breeding in a New Zealand animal park, meaning its future may now be more secure, researchers said yesterday.
Thirteen Maud Island froglets, each the size of a human fingernail, were discovered clinging to the backs of full-grown male frogs at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in the capital, Wellington, said researcher Kerri Lukis.
The frogs are normally found only on two islands in the Malborough Sounds region of New Zealand's South Island.
"Maud Island frogs have never been found breeding" before, even on their home island, said Ms. Lukis, a graduate student at Victoria University in Wellington.
"It's wonderful timing for 2008 — International Year of the Frog and a leap year," she said.
The breeding suggests Maud Island frogs can be bred in other predator-free habitats — strengthening their prospects for survival, said Ben Bell, the biologist overseeing Ms. Lukis' studies.
The sanctuary's predator-proof fence gives the frogs a breeding environment like Maud Island that is safe from rats, Mr. Bell said.
Maud Island frogs are estimated to number up to 40,000 — most of them on the island from which they take their name and the rest on Motuara Island.
Maud Island frogs, one of four native New Zealand frogs, have evolved little over the last 70 million years, Ms. Lukis said, resulting in distinctive features and behaviors.
They do not croak, live in water or have webbed feet, she said.
Rare frog breeds hope for survival