Caribbean Mountain frogs that taste like chicken bred at London Zoo

Six froglets of one of the world's most threatened frog species have been bred at London Zoo.

The arrival of the new Mountain chicken frogs has been heralded by conservationists, who estimate that just 20 frogs remain in the wild.

Originally from the Caribbean, jumbo frogs are a local delicacy supposedly tasting like chicken and can reach up to 1kg (2lbs) - hence the name.

An invasive fungus and continued habitat loss has ravaged the species.

Zookeepers had suspicions offspring were on their way after the resident male Mountain chicken started digging a 'bowl' in the newly-built enclosure - in an attempt to entice his female counterpart.

His efforts paid dividends and shortly after a foam nest was created, where the tadpoles developed.

During this period, the female frog feeds the tadpoles by producing infertile eggs until the tadpoles metamorphose.

Mother mountain chicken frogs may feed their tadpoles 10-13 times during their development, meaning she may produce an estimated 10,000-25,000 eggs.

Soon after the zoo welcomed six froglets to their colony.

Two females had been living together before a male was introduced in November and the births were the first Mountain chickens bred at the zoo for five years.

The zoo's curator of reptiles and amphibians, Ben Tapley said the zoo was "delighted" at how quickly the mountain chicken frogs had settled into their new enclosure.

The mother was seen "puffing up and using her body to defend her young from anything that gets a little too close" he added.

The species is the largest native frog in the Caribbean and was once widespread across seven islands.

Today, they can only be found in the wild on Dominica, where a recent survey by the Mountain Chicken Recovery Programme found just 23 individuals - two of which were found dead, flattened by vehicles.

Alongside habitat loss and predation by invasive species, it was the arrival of an invasive fungus, amphibian chytridiomycosis in 2002 which decimated numbers and left the frogs on the verge of extinction .

In 2009, a collaboration involving London Zoo saw a handful of the remaining Mountain chicken frogs airlifted from the island in a last-ditch attempt to save them.

Dedicated facilities were built and a coordinated breeding programme was established for the species.

Now, visitors to London Zoo can see the Mountain chickens for the first time as part of the new Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians experience.

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