SPECIES: Heleioporus australiacus australiacus — Giant Burrowing Frog
CLASSIFICATION: Endangered
Chunky, secretive, and built for life underground, the Giant Burrowing Frog is one of Australia’s most remarkable amphibians. Growing up to 10 cm long, this large, soft-bodied frog spends much of its life hidden beneath the surface, emerging only after heavy rain to breed. Found in sandstone forests and heathlands of southeastern NSW and eastern Victoria, this endangered species lays its eggs in burrows near ephemeral streams. The tadpoles don’t hatch until rains arrive, a finely tuned strategy now under threat from shifting rainfall patterns due to climate change.
Habitat loss, altered fire regimes, disease (including chytrid fungus), and land clearing are all putting pressure on this already elusive frog. It’s rarely seen, but its deep, growling call can sometimes be heard echoing across the wet landscape.