Over 250 Rare Frogs Released into Hula Nature Reserve
The Nature and Parks Authority and the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem have successfully returned over 250 Hula painted frogs to the wild. The species, which was considered extinct for decades until its rediscovery in 2011, has been successfully bred in captivity and is now being reintroduced to its natural habitat.
The Nature and Parks Authority reports that more than 250 frogs and tadpoles of the Hula painted frog (Latonia nigriventer) — a species that until a few years ago was mistakenly considered extinct — were returned to the Hula Nature Reserve from the breeding center at the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem.
In the early morning hours, over 250 tadpoles, 18 one-year-old frogs, and 12 individuals that had not yet completed metamorphosis were released throughout the reserve. These individuals will join the hundreds already living in the reserve. The Nature and Parks Authority hopes to continue returning individuals to the wild to establish further populations within the reserve and beyond.
In 2011, Yoram Malka, a veteran inspector at the Hula Nature Reserve, discovered an individual of the Hula painted frog — a species considered extinct for decades and declared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1996 as extinct globally. The frog had nearly vanished following the draining of the Hula Valley and habitat destruction. The species, named for its short, round, non-protruding tongue and black belly, was subsequently transferred to breeding nuclei in the Hula Nature Reserve and the Biblical Zoo.
Additionally, the Nature and Parks Authority constructed dedicated research habitats and allocated a site where the frogs could grow without human interference. "In the site adjacent to the reserve, there are about 250 to 300 individuals living in the wild," explains Malka. "We hope that the released frogs will bolster the population and that we will see more individuals in the coming years."
At the Biblical Zoo, the team created a laboratory to study the frogs' preferred conditions, from temperature levels to the size of the grasshoppers they consume. Initially, much was unknown, including egg size and how to distinguish between males and females. Through daily work and overcoming numerous challenges, the team discovered fascinating details about the species, leading to impressive reproduction rates.
Following these efforts, the zoo successfully raised over 500 individuals, all born in Jerusalem, which have now made their journey back to the north. Ariel Kedem, the zoo's nature conservation coordinator, noted: "It was a great challenge and a pleasure to discover more about the frogs' behavior, culminating in the establishment of a functioning breeding nucleus. This year, for the first time, we are not taking frogs from the wild, but returning them to a new location in hopes of establishing a new local group."
The Nature and Parks Authority invites the public to visit the Hula Nature Reserve, though it notes that the chances of seeing these unique frogs are very low. "The frogs are active mainly at night and like to hide, making them difficult to find during daylight hours," says Ido Shaked, director of the Hula Nature Reserve. "However, visitors occasionally report spotting one. Perhaps you will be the next lucky ones to see this elusive frog."
