Reintroducing the European tree frog in Wallonia

Recognizable by its apple-green color, its toes equipped with suction cups that allow it to climb in the vegetation, and its call audible from more than a kilometer away, the European tree frog was widespread in Wallonia until the 19th century. The European tree frog is demanding when it comes to its habitat. It seeks stagnant, shallow, and sunny water for breeding, but also tall grass and bushes to move and shelter in. Due to the modernization of agricultural practices and urbanization, ponds and hedges have become rarer, reducing and fragmenting the habitat of the European tree frog.

Extinct in Wallonia

The disappearance of its habitat led to the extinction of the green tree frog in Wallonia by the end of the 1980s. It is now considered regionally extinct. The aim of the project, led by Natagora, is to reintroduce populations of green tree frogs in areas that are once again suitable to accommodate them. To achieve this, Pairi Daiza breeds green tree frogs, from the egg stage to metamorphosis. They are then released in protected sites in the Famenne and Gaume regions.