The second edition of the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin's Frogs is now available!

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More than twenty public and private institutions from Chile, Argentina, the United Kingdom and Germany have joined forces to present this publication, which summarises the joint efforts to protect these charismatic and threatened amphibians.

The strategy, which will be implemented between 2026 and 2040, consolidates more than a decade of collaborative work aimed at preventing the extinction of the two species known as Darwin's frogs.

The southern Darwin's frog (Rhinoderma darwinii) and the northern Darwin's frog, or cowboy frog (R. rufum) — the latter not observed since 1981 and classified as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) — are the only known amphibians in which the males rear the tadpoles inside their vocal sac, a form of parental care unique among the world's more than 9,000 amphibian species. These species inhabit the native forests of Chile and Argentina, ecosystems facing mounting pressures from habitat loss, climate change and chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease that has devastated amphibian populations worldwide.

The update of the Binational Strategy represents a milestone for the conservation of Darwin's frogs. Not only does it incorporate significant methodological improvements, but it also reaffirms the commitment of a diverse consortium of institutions working collaboratively to prevent their extinction.