The calls of the Mission golden-eyed tree frog are among the loudest of all frogs. They always take place three times in a row and the noise level is comparable to that of a car horn. In 2021, new individuals came from Zurich Zoo to Zoo Vienna. Now, after a break of a few years, there are offspring of these “riot frogs” once again at the Zoo.
“Mission golden-eyed tree frog is particularly exciting because it lives in the treetops of tropical rainforests in the Amazon region. It uses water-filled tree cavities at a height of up to 30 meters to lay its eggs. The people there hardly ever see him, they only know him from his loud calls. The males have two extraordinarily large acoustic sacs,” explains Anton Weissenbacher, Head of the Zoological Department.
Amphibians are the class of animals most threatened with extinction. There is no data on the population size of the Mission golden-eyed tree frog because of its hidden lifestyle. It is not currently classified as endangered due to its large range. Due to the progressive deforestation of the rainforest, however, a decline in population is to be expected. Weissenbacher: “In the global amphibian crisis, it is the task of zoological gardens to draw attention to the many fascinating representatives of amphibians and to build up stable reserve populations outside of their natural habitat in good time.” From two females there are a proud 520 young frogs that are given to other zoos.
Photos: Daniel Zupanc
Video: Zoo Vienna