Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Seoul Grand Park releases 100 endangered frogs into southern wetlands
Seoul Grand Park zookeepers release gold-spotted pond frogs in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province. Courtesy of Seoul Grand Park
By Jhoo Dong-chan
In a quiet, overgrown agricultural ditch near the Jeongyang Marsh in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, 100 captive-bred gold-spotted pond frogs slid gently into the shallow water earlier this week.
The release, carried out jointly by the Seoul Grand Park Zoo and the National Institute of Ecology, marks the latest scientific effort to rescue an iconic amphibious species from a silent extinction.
Known scientifically as Pelophylax chosenicus — and colloquially as the "Seoul pond frog" — the bright green amphibian with vibrant gold stripes running along its back was once ubiquitous across the rural wetlands of the Korean Peninsula. However, decades of aggressive urban expansion, shrinking agricultural land, heavy use of chemical pesticides and invasive predators have severely eroded its natural habitat, driving wild population numbers into a steep, alarming decline.
"Amphibians are a vital middle rung in the ecological food chain, connecting aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems," said Yeo Yong-goo, director of the Seoul Grand Park Zoo. "Conserving Korea's endemic gold-spotted pond frog, whose numbers are dropping rapidly across its historical range, is of paramount importance for preserving our native biodiversity."
The species’ distinct biological quirks have significantly compounded its vulnerability to human disruption. Possessing a narrow home range of just 720 square meters and rarely traveling more than 10 meters in a single day, these slow-moving frogs struggle to adapt or relocate when wetland habitats are fragmented by roads and concrete infrastructure. Recognizing these heightened ecological threats, Korea's Ministry of Environment designated the species officially endangered in 1988.
To prevent artificial genetic contamination, conservationists carefully bred and selected individuals belonging specifically to the Hapcheon regional lineage for this release. Prior to their journey south, the 100 frogs underwent rigorous medical screenings by the Seoul Metropolitan Institute of Public Health and Environment, testing negative for devastating global wildlife pathogens including the deadly chytrid fungus and ranavirus.
At the release site in Hapcheon, research teams carefully acclimated the frogs to local water temperatures before opening the transport crates. The location was chosen for its dense, protective vegetation of cattails and willows, as well as its proximity to the expansive Jeongyang Marsh just 300 meters downstream.
To track their long-term progress, researchers attached micro-identification tags to specimens measuring over 30 millimeters. Scientists will now monitor the population to gather essential baseline data on survival rates, growth and movement patterns.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.