Viral desert rain frog listed as Vulnerable: Why the internet-famous amphibian is at risk

According to the latest IUCN Red List assessment, the frog’s population is projected to decline by around 20 per cent over the next two decades, largely because its fragile habitat is under increasing pressure.

Diamond mining, along with proposed energy developments, is shrinking and degrading the sand dunes the frog depends on for survival. Because the species occupies such a specialised habitat, it has very little room to adapt if that environment is destroyed.

“If the habitat was transformed, there’s no room for this species to move further up the coast or further down the coast,” scientist Alex Lawrence of conservation group Anura Africa said, according to the BBC.

Can internet fame become a conservation problem?

Ironically, the same qualities that made the desert rain frog a viral sensation—its rounded body, expressive eyes and unmistakable squeaky call—could also become a threat.

Experts fear its growing popularity may increase demand among wildlife collectors seeking unusual pets.

“Frogs that are so unique looking as this can become victims of their own fame,” Benjamin Tapley, curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Zoological Society of London, told the BBC.

Illegal wildlife trade has already affected several rare amphibian species around the world, prompting conservationists to remain cautious whenever an animal suddenly becomes an online celebrity.

Despite the warning, scientists stress that the desert rain frog is not beyond saving. Lawrence says restoring mining sites after extraction and protecting the remaining coastal dune habitats could help secure the species’ future.

“While it is now at risk of extinction, it is still far from being lost entirely,” he said.