Toughie (frog) facts for kids
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| Species | Ecnomiohyla rabborum |
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| Sex | Male |
| Hatched | Unknown. Captured in 2005. |
| Died | September 26, 2016 Atlanta Botanical Garden |
| Known for | Last known living Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog |
Toughie was a very special frog. He was the very last known Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog in the world. This type of frog is also called Ecnomiohyla rabborum. Sadly, Toughie died on September 26, 2016, while living at a special garden. Because he was the last one, his species is now believed to be extinct, meaning there are no more Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrogs left.
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Toughie's Life in Captivity
Toughie was found in Panama in 2005. He was already an adult frog when researchers caught him. They were on an important mission to save frogs from a dangerous fungus. This fungus, called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is very harmful to amphibians.
Toughie was one of many frogs and tadpoles saved that day. They were all taken to the United States for their safety.
Living at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Toughie lived at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Georgia. He stayed in a special, safe place called the "frogPOD." This area was kept very secure. It was used to protect animals that were in great danger of disappearing forever. Visitors to the Garden could not go into the frogPOD.
While at the Garden, Toughie had tadpoles with a female frog. But sadly, none of them survived. After the female frog died, the only other known Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog was a male. This meant Toughie had no other chances to have babies. The other male frog lived at the Zoo Atlanta. He had to be put to sleep on February 17, 2012, because he was very sick.
Since Toughie was an adult when he was found, no one knew his exact age. Experts thought he was at least 12 years old. On December 15, 2014, Toughie made a call, which was a big surprise! It was the first time anyone had heard him call since he was brought to the Garden in 2005.
Toughie passed away on September 26, 2016, at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Toughie's Personality
Toughie got his name from Anthony, the son of Mark Mandica. Mark Mandica was Toughie's main caretaker for many years. He worked at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Toughie did not like to be picked up. If someone tried to hold him, he would gently pinch their hand. This was his way of saying, "Please let me go!"
What His Caretakers Said
Leslie Phillips, another caretaker, shared her thoughts about Toughie. She said working with him made her want to help other animals even more. Toughie reminded everyone what could happen if conservation work stopped.
She also mentioned that it was sometimes tricky to care for him. They tried to leave him alone as much as possible. This was to make sure he didn't get stressed. But they also needed to give him the best care.
Leslie Phillips thought Toughie was "really cool." She said he was different from other frogs she had seen. He was strong and had big webbed feet and large eyes. She described him as a "very handsome frog." His caretakers touched him as little as possible. However, they did weigh him once a week. This helped them keep track of his health.
Toughie in the Spotlight
Toughie became famous and was featured in several projects. These projects helped tell people about the importance of saving endangered animals.
Featured in Magazines and Films
In July 2013, the magazine National Geographic wrote about Toughie. They also featured his species in their magazine. This was part of a project called The Photo Ark. A photographer named Joel Sartore runs this project. The articles also talked about the Atlanta Botanical Garden's program to save amphibians.
In 2014, a filmmaker named Louie Psihoyos filmed Toughie. This footage was for his 2015 movie called Racing Extinction. The film included scenes of Joel Sartore taking pictures of Toughie.
To help promote the film and raise awareness about animals disappearing, a special event happened. In September 2014, huge photographs were shown on the side of the United Nations Building in New York City. The pictures were 30 stories tall! One of the photographs shown was of Toughie.
Images for kids
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Toughie, the last known Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog.
