Endangered Gopher Frogs Bred in Zoo

Tennessee’s Memphis Zoo says it has successful started the first captive breeding program for endangered Mississippi gopher frogs.

There are currently 94 tadpoles developing in the zoo, a significant number considering there are only about 100 adult Mississippi gopher frogs left in the wild, zoo officials said last month.

We are very excited about this scientific breakthrough at the Memphis Zoo, Andy Kouba, director of research and conservation, said in a statement. Hopefully what we have learned here can also benefit other endangered amphibians.

The zoo said the fully grown frogs will be about two inches long and have large hind feet made for digging.