Fifteen rare Afia Birago’s puddle froglets have been born at ZSL London Zoo.
One of the world’s rarest and smallest frogs has been thrown a vital lifeline thanks to a collaborative conservation programme between ZSL London Zoo and its Ghanian partners.
Afia Birago’s puddle frog was unknown to scientists until eight years ago, but has since been found to survive in just two perennial pools in Ghana’s Atewa Hills Forest Reserve — a habitat sadly being destroyed by mining, putting the species at immediate risk of extinction.
In September 2025, conservationists hatched a plan to transfer 20 of the amphibians from the reserve to London Zoo, where leading amphibian experts could learn as much as possible about these species to share with those leading efforts in Ghana.
Now, the team is celebrating a major milestone in this project: the birth of 15 tiny froglets. No bigger than the tip of a pencil, these tiny amphibians are the first of their species to be born under human care in the world, forming a vital lifeline in the survival of the species.
ZSL amphibian keeper Unnar Aevarsson said: “When the adult frogs arrived in London last year, almost nothing was known about them. Using our extensive experience caring for amphibians, our team have since learned so much more about these incredible frogs - developing the knowledge, techniques and breeding protocols needed to give them the best chance of survival.
“These 5mm long froglets are cause for celebration, but our work to save Afia Birago’s puddle frog has only just begun: the wider goal now is for our partners to establish sustainable conservation populations in Ghana that can support their recovery in the wild - these births make that a real possibility.”
ZSL London is sharing knowledge gained from the programme with colleagues at the CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana’s breeding centre in Kumasi. ZSL EDGE Fellow Anthony Churcher, part of Herp Conservation Ghana, is also investigating potential habitat on private land surrounding the Atewa Hills Forest Reserve to help support future releases of the species.
ZSL EDGE regional project manager Caleb Ofori-Boateng, who helped describe Afia Birago's puddle frog to science and named it after his mother, said: "I named this frog after my mother so that her legacy would live on. Thanks to this breeding programme, it will. Her name will be linked to a species we saved, not one we lost."
Dr Kwame Antwi Oduro, Director of the CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, added: “Protecting the species that live in Ghana’s forests is central to our mandate. This collaboration with ZSL shows what science and partnership can achieve together, and it is building the skills and facilities Ghana needs to safeguard its own threatened wildlife.”
Image (C) Ben Tapley ZSL.
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