Frogs on the hop: translocations of green and golden bell frogs Litoria aurea in Greater Sydney

Published source details White A.W. & Pyke G.H. (2008) Frogs on the hop: translocations of green and golden bell frogs Litoria aurea in Greater Sydney. Australian Zoologist, 34, 249-260.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Release captive-bred green and golden bell frogs Action Link
	Create ponds for frogs Action Link

Release captive-bred green and golden bell frogs

A review of four release programmes near Sydney, Australia (White & Pyke 2008) found that only one resulted in the establishment of a stable population of captive-bred green and golden bell frogs Litoria aurea. That population, which had been supplemented with three translocated and at least five colonizing adults was estimated at over 50 adults within four years. At Botany, frogs were detected the following spring, but none survived the summer. Non-native fish killed all individuals from the second release (fish were then eradicated). At Long Reef, 45 adults were recorded, but without continued releases the population declined to zero (for more details see (Pyke, Rowley, Shoulder & White 2008). At Marrickville, breeding took place after the second release, but only two survived to adults and the population became infected with chytridiomicosis. All individuals were predated after the third release. At Arncliffe, 200 captive-bred tadpoles were released in two created ponds in 2000–2001. At Botany, there were four releases each of 500–1,500 tadpoles and 0–50 juveniles into two ponds in 1996–2000. At Long Reef Golf Course, 9,300 tadpoles, 70 juveniles and five adults were released into 16 ponds over 11 occasions in 1998–2004. At Marrickville, a total of 162 tadpoles were released into a created pond over three occasions in 1998–2000.
Create ponds for frogs

A before-and-after study in 1999–2004 of two created ponds in Arncliffe, near Sydney, Australia (White & Pyke 2008) found that a stable population of green and golden bell frogs Litoria aurea was established from released captive-bred, translocated and colonizing individuals. By January 2000, five non-translocated frogs had colonized the ponds. In March 2000, eight adults, eggs, metamorphs and 20 juveniles were recorded, along with other species. The following spring, 14 adults, including 10 first year adults, were recorded in the ponds. The population was estimated at over 50 adults by 2004. Two ponds (25 x 20 m) were created as mitigation for development in 1999. Three frogs were translocated 150 m from the development site to the new ponds in early 2000. Fifty tadpoles were released into the ponds in March 2000 and 150 in February 2001. Frogs were monitored at night