tsrp63entire

1. Introduction
The native frogs of New Zealand possess some of the most ancestral features of any living frogs
in the world. Four extant species are formally recognised: Archey’s frog (Leiopelma archeyi),
Hochstetter’s frog (L. hochstetteri), Maud Island frog (L. pakeka) and Hamilton’s frog
(L. hamiltoni).
Native frogs were formerly widespread and common throughout New Zealand, including lowland
habitats. However, they are now much reduced in geographic and altitudinal range, with remnant
populations of the terrestrial Hamilton’s frog and Maud Island frog only occurring on predatorfree
islands in the Marlborough Sounds, and the terrestrial Archey’s frog and the semi-aquatic
Hochstetter’s frog being found in scattered locations on the mainland of the North Island.
The first native frog recovery plan was published in 1996 (Newman 1996). That plan spanned
5 years and led to the formation of the Native Frog Recovery Group. Over this period, frog
recovery work focused on establishing new populations of the island species, and developing
survey and monitoring techniques.
In the later years of the 1996 plan, a disease caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus
(Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) was discovered in Archey’s frog, which coincided with serious
declines in one population (Bell et al. 2004c). Therefore, since this time, research on amphibian
disease and the establishment of captive populations have been additional foci for frog
recovery work.
In 2004, the achievements of the 1996 native frog recovery plan were reviewed (Tocher et al.
2004) and the preparation of a new plan was recommended. This document is based on that
review, while also taking into account more recent information on the status of
and threats to native frogs.
2. Plan term and review date
Term of the plan: 5 years, from July 2013 to July 2018.
Review date: July 2017.
2 Bishop et al.—Native frog recovery plan, 2013–2018