- Department of Zoology, University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, PO Box 56, Ōtepoti Dunedin 9054, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Mahakirau Forest Sanctuary, Coromandel, New Zealand
- Biodiversity, Heritage and Visitors Group, Department of Conservation, Nelson 7042, New Zealand
- Coastal Peoples Southern Skies Centre of Research Excellence, PO Box 56, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- +These authors contributed equally and should be considered joint last authors
Radio telemetry is a valuable technique to gain insights into the ecology of a species by enabling repeated observations of an individual, regardless of its activity or detectability. The miniaturisation of transmitters has allowed a wide variety of taxa to be studied using radio telemetry, including amphibians. In Aotearoa | New Zealand, all three extant endemic Leiopelmatid frogs are threatened and require ecologically informed conservation management. Radio telemetry has previously been used to explore the movement ecology of the two terrestrial Leiopelma species. However, the movement ecology of the semi-aquatic Hochstetter’s frog (Leiopelma hochstetteri) remains poorly understood. To determine whether a simple waistband harness design was suitable for L. hochstetteri, we conducted a field study at Mahakirau Forest Sanctuary, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand. While assessing harness suitability, we made repeat observations of individuals with fully functional transmitters (n = 9) for up to 16 days, providing insight into the species’ movement ecology. The longest distance moved between observations was 16.9 m. Minor abrasion occurred in the hip joints of ten frogs. Following refinements to the waistband length to reduce abrasion, radio telemetry will potentially be a beneficial tool to gain information needed for conservation planning.