amphibian conservation

Translocation of Hamilton’s frog, Leiopelma hamiltoni, to a mainland sanctuary occupied by mice Mus musculus

A two-phase translocation of Hamilton's frog (Leiopelma hamiltoni) into Zealandia Ecosanctuary Te Māra a Tāne, in Wellington, was the first attempt to restore the species to the mainland. All non-native mammals had been eradicated there, but house mice (Mus musculus) re-invaded, providing an opportunity to investigate their impact on L. hamiltoni. In Phase I, 60 frogs were translocated into mouse-proof enclosures over 2006–2007.

Use of dead tree-fern trunks as oviposition sites by the terrestrial breeding frog Leiopelma archeyi

While most anurans lay their eggs in or near water, there is a wide diversity of species that lay their eggs on the ground, under rocks, or in burrows. For these terrestrial-breeding species, identifying the habitat requirements of oviposition sites is particularly useful for conservation and management planning, given that oviposition in anurans is strongly related to the environmental characteristics in which they live. Leiopelma archeyi is an endemic New Zealand frog that reproduces on moist substrates.

Archaic, terrestrial Hamilton’s frogs (Leiopelma hamiltoni) display arboreal behaviours

New Zealand has three species of endemic amphibians in the genus Leiopelma, all of which are threatened with extinction. The primary threats to their persistence are mammalian predators and habitat loss, and the translocation of these frogs into restored habitat is a common method of conservation. The Maud Island frog (Leiopelma hamiltoni), is considered terrestrial with habitat needs centering on complex boulder-strewn habitat. However, during recent surveys of a translocated population, we found repeated use of arboreal habitat within this species.

‘Get together, work together, write together’: a novel framework for conservation of New Zealand frogs

Ko tā te ture ki Aotearoa, mō ngā whakatau me ngā whakahaere o ngā momo koiora motuhake, me mahi tahi ki te iwi Māori o taua takiwāi. Me hanga te anga toi-ahurea ki ngā mātauranga Māori, ki ngā mātauranga tauiwi hoki kia tiakina tika ai ēnei momo koiora. Heoi anō, ko te katoa o ngā hua i puta i tēnei pātuitanga, tē aro atu ai. Ko tētahi take kāore i whai hua ai ngā rautaki me ngā tūkanga i tukuna, ko te korenga o te whakauru i te ahurea Māori ki roto i te puāwaitanga o te mātauranga me te korenga o te renarena o ngā whenu o te pātuitanga.