Publications
Wildlife Australia, April 1997
ISBN 0 6422 1400 X
1. Family Hylidae
2. Scientific Name Litoria nyakalensis
3. English Name Nyakala Frog, Waterfall Mist Frog
4. Intraspecific taxa
None.
5. Species survival status
Endangered. An extensive survey in 1991-1992 and 1993 (Richards et al. 1993, Trenerry et al. 1994) failed to locate any individuals.
6. Former distribution
Northern Queensland ranging from Douglas Creek in the Kirrama State Forest (18°13'S, 145°48'E) to Alexandra Creek (16°07'S, 145°20'E). Altitudinal range 380-1020m.
7. Current distribution
Unknown. The species has not been seen since 1990.
8. Habitat
Found at the edge of "swift running streams, where there is white water from riffles and cascades" (McDonald 1992).
9. Reasons for decline
Unknown. Richards et al. (1993) reject drought, floods, habitat destruction or pollution by pesticides, inorganic ions or heavy metals.
10. Conservation reserves on which species occurs
Qld: Wooroonooran, Daintree, Crater Lakes, and Crater National Parks.
11. Other public lands on which species occurs
Qld: Mt Lewis, Maalan, Ravenshoe, Herberton Range, and Kirrama State Forests, State Forest (758 Alcock), Daintree Timber Reserve (165 Monkhouse).
12. Other land on which species occurs
Not known.
13. Is knowledge about species adequate for objectives and actions to be defined accurately?
No. Little is known of the biology of this species.
14. Recovery Plan objectives
14.1. To establish the continued existence of the species.
14.2. To determine the causal agent/s responsible for the decline of the species.
14.3. To reduce or eliminate threatening processes.
14.4. To ensure that frog conservation is considered in all relevant land management decisions.
15. Management actions completed or under way
15.1. This species, along with seven other Wet Tropics species, is the subject of a recovery program for threatened frogs of Qld and northern NSW (Coordinator: K.R. McDonald, Qld Department of Environment). The program involves survey, monitoring, ecological research and research into potential causes of decline.
15.2. A draft recovery plan has been prepared (Martin and McDonald 1995).
16. Management actions required
Actions outlined in the draft recovery plan include:
16.1. Monitoring.
16.2. Research into causes of decline.
16.3. Ecological research.
16.4. Captive breeding.
16.5. Genetic studies.
16.6. Public information.
17. Organisations responsible for conservation of species
Qld Department of Environment.
18. Other organisations involved
James Cook University, Co-operative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management, University of Qld Wet Tropics Management Authority, Qld Department of Natural Resources, amateur frog clubs.
19 Can recovery plan be carried out with existing resources?
No
Draft recovery plan for Wet Tropics frogs, including this species, includes: survey and monitoring component ($75K per annum); identification of cause of decline (total cost $249K); and captive breeding (total cost $504K). Total cost of implementation of the draft Recovery Plan is estimated at $1647K over 5 years (7 species).
Total (average cost per species) $235.3K
References
Martin, W.E. and McDonald, K.R. 1995. Draft recovery plan for the stream-dwelling rainforest frogs of the Wet Tropics biogeographic region of north-east Queensland. Unpublished report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.
McDonald, K.R. 1992. Distribution patterns and conservation status of north Queensland rainforest frogs. Conservation Technical Report No. 1, Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, Brisbane.
Richards, S.J., McDonald, K.R., Alford, R.A. 1993. Declines in populations of Australia's endemic tropical rainforest frogs. Pacific Conservation Biology 1: 66-77.
Trenerry, M.P., Laurance, W.F., and McDonald, K.R. 1994. Further evidence for the precipitous decline of endemic rainforest frogs in tropical Australia. Pacific Conservation Biology 1: 150-153.
Herpetological authorities consulted
R.A. Alford, K.R. McDonald, S.J. Richards.