Episode 04: Rescuing the Corroboree frogs with Michael McFadden
In Episode 4 of Amphibian Rescue, we travel to the Australian Alps to explore a successful and long-standing rescue effort to save the Southern and Northern Corroboree frogs.
Michael McFadden, Wildlife Conservation Officer at Taronga Conservation Society Australia, takes us inside more than two decades of work to prevent the extinction of these tiny, striking black-and-yellow species that have been pushed to the brink by chytrid fungus.
We explore how scientists and conservationists built insurance populations from eggs collected in the wild, learned how to breed a uniquely challenging species, and developed innovative strategies to return frogs to their habitat. From refrigerated shipping containers turned into frog facilities, to disease-free exclosures acting as bridges between captivity and the wild, to ultimately...yelling at frogs?
Along the way, we also look at the challenges that remain—from climate change and wildfires to the ongoing fight against chytrid—and the emerging genetics and biotech research that could help these frogs survive in the long term.
About our guest:
Michael McFadden BSc (Hons), PhD Candidate, is a Wildlife Conservation Officer at Taronga Conservation Society Australia and Supervisor of the Herpetofauna division at Taronga Zoo.
He has worked on amphibian conservation for over 20 years, focusing on conservation breeding, reintroduction biology, and population management for some of Australia’s most endangered frog species, including the Southern and Northern Corroboree frogs, Booroolong frog, and Yellow-spotted Bell frog.
Michael is co-convenor of the Zoo and Aquarium Association Amphibian TAG, contributes to multiple recovery teams, and has published more than 30 scientific articles and book chapters. Michael has also supported Amphibian Ark by helping deliver amphibian conservation training workshops across Australasia.
Documents referenced in the episode:
- Davidson, M. J., K. R.Zenger, J. S.Keogh, L.Berger, L. F.Skerratt, and T. A.Kosch. 2026. “Design and Application of a Genome-Wide SNP Array to Improve Conservation Outcomes in the Critically Endangered Southern Corroboree Frog.” Molecular Ecology Resources26, no. 3: e70080. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.70080.
- Davidson, M. J., L. Berger, A. Aquilina, M. Hernández-Poveda, D. Guinto, M. McFadden, D. Gilbert, D. Goodall, K. R. Zenger, L. F. Skerratt, and T. A. Kosch. 2025. “Exposure to low doses of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis reveals variation in resistance in the Critically Endangered southern corroboree frog.” Global Ecology and Conservation 60: e03587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03587
Transcript
(coming soon)
About the podcast
Amphibian Rescue is produced and hosted by María Braeuner, with original music by Pablo Bolaños | Biota Specimens.
Episodes are reviewed and fact-checked by the Amphibian Ark team of experts: Luis Carrillo, Devin Edmonds, Renata Ibelli Vaz, Jonathan Wilcken, Cybele Lisboa, Elizabeth Townsend, María José Chang, and Beatriz Velásquez.
Trailer video footage by © Jaime Culebras; additional clips via © Canva.com by Leo Lee, Black Box, Atelopus | Getty Images, Daniel Bahrmann | Pixabay.
Cover image © Jaime Culebras
Other photos and videos used in Episode 4 © Michael McFadden & Taronga Conservation Society Australia.
The podcast is made possible thanks to the continued support of Amphibian Ark donors and partners around the world.
Together, we can continue rescuing amphibians in crisis.
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