Hope for the Armoured Mistfrog

With your support, we’re helping to give one of Australia’s most endangered frogs a second chance at survival.

The Armoured Mistfrog (Litoria lorica) once lived across the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland. Today, it survives at just two small sites – both within the same catchment. With only around 1,000 adults remaining, and its habitat vulnerable to threats like climate events and human disturbance, the species is at extreme risk of extinction.

That’s why FAME is supporting a vital project led by the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) and James Cook University (JCU) to establish a third wild population in a separate, more secure catchment. This translocation effort is designed to spread the risk and improve the species’ long-term survival.
 
Over the past two years, the team has successfully moved 100 frogs to Mount Windsor National Park, following a proven method that helped establish the first reintroduced population at Spurgeon Creek a decade ago.

Photo Credit: Eric Vanderduys

What’s happening now?

Due to the tropical wet season, the team has been unable to access any of the frog sites between November 2024 and April 2025. Heavy rain and flooding made surveys impossible – a common seasonal challenge in this region.
However, with the arrival of the dry season, monitoring is set to resume this month (May 2025). The team will return to all three known sites to:

• Count frogs and assess survival

• Check for signs of breeding and juvenile frogs (recruitment)

• Observe frog health and check for pest fish

• Understand how the source population is recovering after the harvest

This data will help determine whether additional frogs need to be translocated and whether the reintroduced population is tracking toward long-term success.

What’s next?

Monitoring will continue over the next 12 months and beyond. The next big milestone we’re hoping for is the first evidence of successful breeding at the new site – a major step in securing this species’ future in the wild.
Meanwhile, the team is also developing a Queensland Recovery Action Plan for the Armoured Mistfrog. This will guide conservation efforts in the years ahead and ensure we’re working toward a clear, shared recovery goal – one stream at a time.

For more on the project visit the project page.