Frogs worldwide are threatened by thechytrid fungus , and many havealready gone extinct . However , Australian researchers have a novel idea for how to save one metal money , which may turn out to be applicable to others . They plan to accelerate their development to sexual maturity so they breed before get grim . Thirty endangered northern corroboree frogs are being go to a semi - wild enclosure at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve , in the hope they will flourish there before being released into barbarian site at the lower oddment of their elevation range .
In a worldincreasingly anxiousabout humans reaching puberty too young , in reality encouraging former intimate maturity seems like a non - starter . However , there ’s probably not a destiny of people worried about frogs having sex before they are emotionally suited to it . Moreover , the charismatically colour northern corroboree Gaul is something of an outlier in how later it breeds , often only making polliwog at the historic period of three or four . Dr Ben Scheeleof the Australian National University says this is partly about location .
“ Although the frogs are found high up in the mountains of Namadgi , we think warmer temperatures at lower site could give the frogs a helping mitt by enable them to originate faster and breed rather , ” Scheele allege in astatement . By releasing northerly corroboree frogs at lower locations , Scheele hopes to get them to breed to begin with , increasing the chance they can reproduce before the fungus carry off to infect them .
Scheele told IFLScience some batrachian species are nab with the fungus comfortably than others , and it is more often those that survive at low-down EL that are surviving .
of course , there is no pointedness inaugurate Gaul into territory that is unsuitable to them , but Scheele narrate IFLScience the locations he and his fellow worker are investigating are similar to other sites where the northerly corroboree frog has been found . Scheele sum that , fungus away , the biggest scourge to the frog come along to be drouth , rather than predators , so the team are looking at situation that maintain sufficient body of water even in dry yr . internet site free of fungus - transmitting toad specie are also desired .
The chytrid fungus is killed by teetotal condition and temperatures above 28ºC ( 82ºF ) , so preservation programs for toad frog whose range extends into areas where the fungus ca n’t survive have transplanted them to good areas . However , Scheele told IFLScience the corroboree frog ’s entire grasp is chytrid - susceptible , so something more innovative is needed .
Scheele hopes that if the corroboree frog thrives at the unexampled location other amphibian will also benefit , both through improved cognition of why some are resisting the fungus while others succumb , and through the project acting as a model for save others .
