Rare ‘Whistling’ Frogs Arrive at London Zoo in Race Against Extinction
By Conservation Correspondent
Two rare frog species found only in Ghana’s Atewa Hills Forest Reserve have been brought to London Zoo as part of an international conservation effort to prevent their extinction.
The Atewa slippery frog and Afia Birago’s puddle frog are both threatened by habitat destruction linked to mining in the region, with conservationists warning the species are at serious risk in the wild.
The Atewa slippery frog, sometimes described as a “whistling” frog because of its distinctive call, was only identified by scientists in 2021.
Fewer than 1,500 are believed to remain.
Working with partners in Ghana, conservation charity Zoological Society of London transferred a group of frogs and tadpoles to London in 2025 to help develop breeding and care programmes for the species.
The frogs were initially cared for behind the scenes before successfully breeding at the zoo — believed to be the first time the species has bred in human care.
Ben Tapley, ZSL’s curator of reptiles and amphibians, said the move would help conservationists learn more about the species while supporting efforts in Ghana to establish long-term protection programmes.
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The smaller Afia Birago’s puddle frog, first described in 2018, survives in just two pools within the forest reserve and has never previously been cared for in captivity.
Zoo staff also travelled to Ghana to help establish what is believed to be West Africa’s first dedicated amphibian conservation facility.
The frogs are now on display in London Zoo’s Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians exhibit.
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