Frog species in ‘perilous state’ bred at Cotswold Wildlife Park
The cinnamon frog, native to south-east Asia, is classed as a near threatened species.
A frog species which is in a “perilous state” has been successfully bred at a wildlife park in Oxfordshire.
Keepers at the Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford have again bred the near threatened cinnamon frog, after it became only the second zoological collection in Europe to breed the species in 2019.
Only five other zoos in Europe keep the species with one other successfully breeding the frogs in the last 12 months, according to the wildlife park.
The amphibians, known for their distinct reddish-brown colour, similar to cinnamon, and black-and-white spots across its body, are native to southern Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Sumatra.
He said: “Our dedicated reptile team have been working hard to perfect breeding techniques in our Amphibian Room.
“Many frog species have incredibly specific requirements, and it is a testament to their hard work that they have now managed to replicate our previous success with the cinnamon frogs.
“With the perilous state of many amphibian species in the world due to the Chytrid fungus, any expertise garnered from the captive populations may well be important tools for the future of these fascinating creatures.”
Reptile keepers have paid homage to the cinnamon frog’s name and called the froglets after different coloured spices including paprika, cayenne, saffron, chipotle and chilli, and they are being looked after in a specialist Amphibian Breeding Room.
A worldwide campaign known as Save The Frogs Day happens yearly on April 28 to raise awareness about the decline in frogs and aims to protect amphibians from extinction.
