Northern Corroboree Frog  |  

Description of Threats Threats to corroboree frogs include disease; fire; climate change; feral animals; weeds; habitat disturbance and degradation.
For example; warmer temperatures and less rainfall due to climate change might modify corroboree frog breeding habitat.
Climate Change Climate change is expected to have a significant impact on corroboree frogs (Osborne and Davis; 1997).
Climate change modelling suggests that higher elevation areas of the Australian Alps; including the Brindabellas; will experience warmer temperatures and a decrease in precipitation (both as rainfall and snow) (Hennessey et al.; 2003).
Given the strong tendency for corroboree frogs to breed in highly ephemeral pools (Osborne; 1990 Hunter et al.; 2009b); the most immediate and direct impact of climate change will result from increased rates of pool drying prior to metamorphosis.
Whilst climate change is expected to have an impact on corroboree frogs; it is still uncertain whether the magnitude of such changes will be sufficient to cause the extirpation of this species.
Depending on the rate and magnitude of climate change; it is possible that its effect on the species may be ameliorated to some extent though behavioural or genetic adaptation. 9.
These conditions might also increase the frequency of fire in alpine environments; which in turn will also modify breeding habitat.
Fire Wildfires and prescribed burns have the potential to impact on the frogs by burning vegetation and peat in breeding and non breeding areas (Clark; 1986).
Osborne (1991); considered that autumn fires burning through woodland and heath surrounding breeding sites had the greatest potential influence.
Prolonged drought that results in lack of recruitment for several years is likely to have widespread and significant impacts on corroboree frog populations; the effect of which may be compounded by fewer breeding adults due to the amphibian chytrid fungus.