Kroombit Tinkerfrog
Conservation
Did you know that Queensland hosts the highest number of extinct and critically endangered frog species in Australia? Amongst these frogs are five of the six species of Tinkerfrog, genus Taudactylus. The Tinkerfrogs are a group of small, cryptic and rarely seen frogs that live in mountain stream environments in eastern Queensland.
The Kroombit Tinkerfrog is a critically endangered species restricted to a handful of narrow rainforest gullies within Kroombit Tops National Park, Central Queensland. Kroombit Tinkerfrog populations are affected by habitat degradation caused by introduced pest species and bush fires, however the amphibian chytrid fungus is likely to be the most significant factor in the decline of this species.
The Kroombit Tinkerfrog recovery program was established to prevent the extinction of this species in the wild.
Call of the wild
Tinkerfrogs got their name from their unique ‘tink, tink, tink’ sound. It sounds like two tiny pieces of metal being hit together.
Protecting the Kroombit Tinkerfrog in the wild
The in-the-wild component of the Kroombit Tinkerfrog recovery program includes monitoring of population trends through frog searches and acoustic monitoring of calling frogs, as well as regular assessment of relative numbers of pest species and their impacts to the habitats of Kroombit Tops National Park.
Pest control measures are currently focused on reducing the numbers of pest animals in the National Park as well as fencing off critical Kroombit Tinkerfrog habitat to prevent access by feral pigs.
Saving the Kroombit Tinkerfrog
The recovery plan for the Kroombit Tinkerfrog includes a specialist care breeding program, managed by Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
The aim of this program is to release genetically diverse frogs bred in managed care into the wild to supplement existing populations and repopulate sites where Kroombit Tinkerfrogs have gone locally extinct.
In addition to serving as an insurance population against extinction in the wild, the breeding population of Kroombit Tinkerfrog is an important source of behavioral and reproductive information for this little-known species.
Milestones & Achievements
2008
Establishment of the Frog Conservation and Research Facility (FCRF) at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
2009
Eungella Tinkerfrogs collected from the wild and transferred to the FCRF at CWS.
2010
Successful treatment protocol for Chytridiomycosis established for Eungella Tinkerfrogs.
2011
First successful breeding of Eungella Tinkerfrog in managed care.
2014
First successful breeding of managed care and reared Eungella Tinkerfrog.
2018
Kroombit Tinkerfrogs collected from the wild and transferred to the FCRF at CWS.
2019
First successful breeding of Kroombit Tinkerfrog in managed care and the first time that eggs have been observed for this species.
2019
Kroombit Tinkerfrog eggs hatched and the first time that tadpoles have been observed for this species.
2020
First captive Kroombit Tinkerfrog tadpole fully metamorphed into a froglet.
2021
Welcome to our Tinkerfrog Coordinator, Michael Vella; by the end of 2021, we have 84 bred in managed care Kroombit Tinkerfrogs.
2022
Construction of The Frog Lab completed in November 2022.
2023
Calls of released frogs heard at reintroduction site – evidence of survivorship of frogs from first release in March 2023.
2024
Further evidence of survivorship in March 2024 – recordings of male Tinkerfrogs at the reintroduction site. 300 Kroombit Tinkerfrogs reared for the breed for release program.
How can you help save the Kroombit tinkerfrog?
Purchase a Wish List Item
You can help by purchasing and donating a much- needed wish list item. From research equipment to food for frogs, every bit helps.
Donate
Help our conservation teams to continue saving these tiny frogs with a Kroombit Tinkerfrog donation.
Where will your donation go?
$35
Feed a frog for a year
$100
Feral pig exclusion fence
$349.95
LED Lenser Headlamp
$360
CCTV cameras
$500
Vouchers for Tent World or Anaconda
$3,000
LED UV Lighting for new facility
Jingeri – Hello
We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the greater Yugambeh language region, the Country on which Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Hospital are situated today. We recognise their continuing connections to the land, sky, waters (waterways), and wildlife. We thank them for caring for this Country and its ecosystems.
We celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and we pay our respect to Elders past and present.
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