Yellow-spotted tree frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow-spotted tree frog |
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The yellow-spotted bell frog, also known as "Litoria" castanea, is a special kind of frog. It's also called the yellow-spotted tree frog, New England swamp frog, or tablelands bell frog. This frog lives only in south-eastern Australia and is in big trouble. It is a critically endangered species, which means it's very close to disappearing forever.
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About the Yellow-Spotted Bell Frog
This frog has some cool features! It has creamy markings on its upper legs. Its body is a light green color, and it has dark or black spots. These spots stand out because they are next to shiny bronze patches. The frog's toes are completely webbed, which helps it swim really well in water.
Where It Lives and Its Home
The yellow-spotted bell frog is found only in a specific area of south-eastern Australia called the New England Tablelands bioregion. When we say a species is "endemic" to a place, it means it naturally lives only there and nowhere else in the world.
These frogs love places with water that stays around all the time. Their natural homes include grassy areas, rivers, swamps, and freshwater lakes. They also live in freshwater marshes and ponds. They need these wet places to survive and lay their eggs.
Why This Frog Needs Our Help
For a long time, people thought the yellow-spotted bell frog might be gone forever. No one had seen one since 1980, and by 2004, scientists worried it was extinct. We don't know exactly why their numbers dropped so much. However, a serious frog disease called chytridiomycosis is thought to have played a big part. This disease is caused by a fungus that harms frogs' skin.
But there's good news! In late 2009, a scientist named Luke Pearce found a small group of these frogs still alive in the wild. Scientists quickly worked to create a safe "insurance" group of frogs. This group was kept in a special place to protect them. Sadly, the wild group of frogs disappeared soon after because of two floods and another outbreak of the chytrid fungus.
To help save them, a special breeding program started at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. In early 2018, some of these yellow-spotted bell frogs were released back into a secret location in New South Wales. This was a big step to help them live freely again!
See also
In Spanish: Litoria castanea para niños
