London Zoo Premieres Film as 33 Darwin’s Froglets Make Their Debut
London Zoo celebrates the birth of 33 Darwin’s froglets and a new film premiere
London, Darwin’s Frog, Conservation, Parque Tantauco, Chytrid Fungus
London: The young Darwin’s frogs are tiny, just a few millimeters long. They have a unique way to survive. When they’re tadpoles, their dads carry them in their vocal sacs for safety.
Sadly, their homes in South America face danger from a deadly fungus. This fungus is especially harmful to these little frogs. In October, conservationists started a rescue mission in the Parque Tantauco forests, a remote island in Chile.
The goal was to bring healthy father frogs back to London Zoo. This would help protect them while experts work to make their forest home safe again. The team hiked through cold, mossy forests, searching for the tiny green frogs hidden among the leaves.
They rescued eleven male frogs, which then cared for the 33 froglets. After a long journey by boat, plane, and car, the fathers arrived in London. Each frog is fully grown but weighs less than 2 grams and measures under 3 cm.
At London Zoo, the birth of these young Darwin’s frogs is a big win for conservationists. The rescue mission was filmed by wildlife filmmaker Paul Glynn for ZSL, which runs London Zoo.
His film, A Leap of Hope, premieres tonight at 6 PM on YouTube. The Darwin frogs in Parque Tantauco faced a crisis in 2023 when the chytrid fungus struck.
This led to a shocking 90% drop in their population within a year. The disease affects many amphibian species, making it one of the worst infectious diseases known.
Ben Tapley, the curator of amphibians at London Zoo, called this a landmark moment. He said it shows what can happen when conservationists unite to protect the Darwin’s frog.
Bastián Santana from the Ranita de Darwin NGO said the film tells a story of action and resilience. He hopes it inspires others to support amphibian conservation.