Frog hotels: scientists build creative urban shelters to draw species back to Australian cities

Researchers say climate change and disease have affected Australia’s suburban frog distribution. Photograph: James Alcock/Australian Museum

Tadpoling is a thing of the past in many suburban creeks, as humans encroach on frogs’ territory. But there is a way to lure them back – frog hotels.

Herpetologist Dr Jodi Rowley, from the Australian Museum, says frogs are the “canary in the coalmine” that suffer first when the environment is toxic.