Reproductive site supplementation for the Banderita Marsupial Frog in Argentina

Abstract

The Banderita Marsupial Frog (Gastrotheca gracilis) remains threatened in the wild due to habitat contamination from urban solid waste, the presence of domestic animals, chytrid fungus infection, and climate change impacts on reproductive sites. Since 2018, an ex situ conservation program supported by Amphibian Ark has advanced efforts to safeguard this species. To complement these actions and enhance reproductive success in situ, an artificial breeding pond (25 L container) was installed in Los Sosa Provincial Reserve (Tucumán, Argentina) in October 2023. Subsequent monitoring in January 2024 confirmed the presence of tadpoles, suggesting successful colonization.Encouraged by these preliminary results, three additional artificial ponds with varying structural characteristics were constructed to evaluate habitat preferences and breeding performance. During the 2024 season, 189 tadpoles were collected for ex situ supplementation, and 145 juveniles were reintroduced into their natural habitat, achieving a survival rate of 82%. Notably, artificial ponds showed a higher abundance of tadpoles compared to natural water bodies.These findings indicate that low-cost artificial ponds may provide effective and stable breeding sites for G. gracilis, representing a promising tool for in situ conservation. Continued monitoring will be essential to assess long-term outcomes and to support potential expansion of supplementation strategies across protected areas in the Yungas Forests of Tucumán.