This threatened frog plays a vital ecological role as both predator and prey, helping to maintain balance in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and is currently listed as Vulnerable in Victoria and nationally (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999), and as Endangered in New South Wales (Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016).

As part of our contribution, Biosis is a Bronze habitat Friend, sponsoring Pod4, one of eight breeding pods and we are excited to share this pod now contains nine Growling Grass Frogs, three females and six males. Over the 2023/2024 breeding season, frogs were heard calling regularly in the evenings, and in December 2023, individuals from our pod were observed in amplexus (breeding posture), a promising sign of breeding activity. While no egg laying was detected, this isn’t unexpected for the cohort’s first outdoor season following time spent in the lab.

“Unfortunately, no egg laying was detected, but advice from Taronga Zoo suggests this may be expected given that it was the cohort’s first breeding season in the outdoor pods since their time spent in the laboratory,” said Sarah Way, Field Ecologist, Winton Wetlands Committee of Management.

Despite more breeding behaviour observed during the 2024/2025 season, , no egg laying was detected, but the team remains optimistic and are investigating more options to encourage breeding next season

The project has also grown significantly. Two additional breeding pods have been added, expanding the reintroduction effort and drawing support from a growing number of organisations invested in conservation and biodiversity enhancement.

In a major step forward, Winton Wetlands has partnered with the Regent Honeyeater Project to secure three ten-year land management agreements through the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, covering 97 hectares adjacent to the frog release site. These areas will undergo revegetation from winter 2025, using plant species that reflect the endangered Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) of Plains Woodland/Gilgai Wetland Mosaic.

We’re proud to be part of this long-term, collaborative effort to re-establish the Growling Grass Frog in the wild and restore vital habitat across the region.

To find out more about the Growling Grass Frog reintroduction efforts at Winton Wetlands visit www.wintonwetlands.org.au/growling-grass-frogs/the-reintroduction-of-growling-grass-frogs-to-winton-wetlands

Pod4 (Can you spot the two Growling Grass Frogs?), image supplied by the Winton Weltlands Committee of Management Inc.