Whistling frogs and coin-sized puddle frogs get lifeline at London Zoo

London: Two critically endangered frog species from Ghana have found a new home at London Zoo as conservationists race to save them from extinction. The Atewa slippery frog and Afia Birago’s puddle frog, both native to Ghana’s Atewa Hills Forest Reserve, are now being cared for at the zoo’s Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians exhibit.

Scientists say both species face growing threats from habitat destruction linked to mining in the forest reserve. The Atewa slippery frog, identified only in 2021, is believed to have fewer than 1,500 individuals left in the wild. It is known for its unusual fish-like swimming ability and distinctive whistling call.

Afia Birago’s puddle frog, first described in 2018, is small enough to sit on a £1 coin. The species is now thought to survive in just two pools within the reserve. The frogs were brought to London in September 2025 through a partnership between the Zoological Society of London, Herp Conservation Ghana and the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana.

Zoo officials said all 20 Atewa slippery frog tadpoles survived the 4,500-mile journey to the UK and later developed successfully into adults.