Hope for endangered Loa water frogs rescued from desert

A group of frogs rescued from a dried up river in Chile's driest desert has provided new hope for the species.

The critically endangered frogs normally live in a river near the city of Calama but as the city developed the water became polluted and dried up.

Last year the frogs were air-lifted from the desert to Santiago`s National Zoo. The rescue mission was backed by film star Leonardo Di Caprio and has proven to be very successful!

The group of frogs settled in well and some have mated, and now there are around 200 young being looked after at the zoo.

Frogs start off as frogspawn, turn into tadpoles, froglets and then frogs, this is called metamorphosis

When the frogs arrived at the zoo last year they were treated for malnourishment and dehydration.

Scientists worked hard to recreate the most natural habitat for them, but they weren't sure they would survive.

Andrés Charrier, from the Chilean Herpetology Network, said their chances of survival had been slim. "The truth is that I didn't even know if these animals were going to survive the plane trip."

Most of the frogs rescued did survive, with 12 of the original 14 frogs making it and going on to mate. Their offspring are a much needed hope for the critically endangered frogs.

The scientists worked really hard to help the frogs

Conservationists say the environmentally-sensitive creatures are a warning for people to make changes as water resources and habitats dwindle and more of these creatures become endangered.

Felipe Ward, the Chilean housing minister responsible for the national zoo, has been a regular visitor to check on the rescued frogs' progress.

He said that the new frogs are "an important step that reinforces our commitment to the protection of native fauna."

Researchers at the Natural History Museum of Calama say their biggest challenge is now restoring of the frogs' natural habitat to allow their return to the wild.