In the lush forests of Panama, a small rocket frog called Pratt’s rocket frog (Colostethus pratti) once filled the air with its distinctive calls. Then, a deadly fungal disease called chytridiomycosis swept through, decimating amphibian populations across Central America. In places like Altos de Campana National Park, where these frogs were once common, they vanished completely.

During our acoustic monitoring research, we discovered that some C. pratti populations were bouncing back, even with the fungal pathogen still present. This suggested the frogs may have evolved resistance to the disease that nearly wiped them out. In Panama, we often find frogs that declined from the pathogen either recovering or persisting at low levels. But the fact that they declined to extinction in one national park while recovering elsewhere offered a unique opportunity: a human-assisted recovery of wild rocket frogs through translocation. In the United States, mountain yellow-legged frogs have recovered using this approach, and we hoped to replicate this success in Panama.

Twelve breeding pairs were collected from the recovering population at Bajo Bonito and brought to a quarantine facility, where they were tested for the fungus and treated preventatively. Male-female pairs then spent two weeks acclimating in mesh enclosures filled with leaf litter at the release site. Previous trials had shown that frogs released directly into new habitats dispersed rapidly and suffered higher mortality rates. This gentler approach gave them time to adjust before venturing into their new home.

The team is using acoustic monitoring technology—an array of automated recorders listening for the frogs’ loud, distinctive calls—to track the population over time. This cost-effective method will reveal whether the frogs survived and dispersed. For now, the forests of Altos de Campana have restored a missing voice to the soundscape—a small but significant victory in the fight to preserve the planet’s embattled amphibians. It’s still too early to evaluate whether the population will persist, but watch this space for updates!