Rare frog euthanized at Zoo Atlanta

By Melissa Ruggieri

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A male Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frog, believed to be one of only two of its kind on Earth, was euthanized Friday at Zoo Atlanta.

Special The male Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frog was believed to be one of only two of his kind left on Earth.

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The frog, whose age was not known, was euthanized after a marked decline in his health and behavior. The Animal Management and Veterinary Teams decided to end the frog’s life to prevent suffering and to preserve genetic material that could be used to study the species, which is believed to be extinct in the wild.

“Amphibians decompose much more rapidly than do many other classes of animals. Had the frog passed away overnight when no staff members were present, we would have lost any opportunity to preserve precious genetic material,” said Dr. Joseph Mendelson, curator of herpetology at the zoo.

The species, named for amphibian conservationists George and Mary Rabb, was identified by Mendelson in 2005 on a field expedition to Panama.

The last known member of the species – also a male – resides at Atlanta Botanical Garden.