We have successfully released northern pool frog tadpoles and froglets for the second-year running, marking another important milestone in our work to help restore Britain’s rarest amphibian. Our Conservation team has spent the summer raising the tadpoles and froglets from frogspawn in our purpose-built, biosecure facility here at Banham Zoo. After receiving full health checks, they were released into their native Norfolk habitat over two days in mid-September.

The release forms part of a long-term species recovery programme led by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) and Natural England, in collaboration with our team and ZSL’s Disease Risk Analysis and Health Surveillance team. Together, we’re working to strengthen wild populations, restore vital habitats and secure a future for this rare species.

Northern pool frogs were declared extinct in the UK in the 1990s, before successful reintroduction efforts began in Norfolk. Since then, ongoing conservation work has helped rebuild wild populations, with the longer-term aim of expanding the species’ range.

Sarah Lee, Group Head of Conservation at ZSEA, said: “It’s incredibly rewarding to see these tadpoles and froglets released into their former range in Norfolk after all the hard work and dedication of our Conservation team in successfully raising healthy, strong individuals. We hope these frogs will go on to breed and further strengthen the wild population of this rare but important amphibian. We are so grateful for the ongoing support of all our partners and the Natural England Species Recovery Fund, which have helped make this project possible. This collaborative programme is a fantastic example of how conservation organisations can work together to bring native British wildlife back from the brink.”

There’s still work to do to secure the future of the northern pool frog, but we’re proud to be playing our part in bringing this once-lost native species back from the brink.