Rare tree frog species goes extinct after death of last documented member

Image credit: Atlanta Botanical Garden/Facebook

New Delhi: The Rabbs' tree frogs are now officially an extinct species. With the death of 12 year-old Toughie, the last known Rabbs' fringe-limbed tree frog, at his home in Atlanta Botanical Garden on September 28, human negligence adds another species in the extinction list.

Atlanta Botanical garden broke this devastating news on their official Facebook with a statement- "It's a sad day here at the Garden as we mourn the loss of our beloved Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frog. He was the last documented member of a species relatively new to science. Found in Panama on an expedition to save animals from a deadly disease, our dear Rabbs’ frog was estimated to be about 12 years old. He will be missed by Garden staff and visitors alike."

The Rabbs' tree frogs were first discovered in 2005 in the cloud forest of Panama while scientist were attempting to rescue any specimen of amphibians they could before before a deadly chytrid fungal infection hit the region.

Toughie made it out of Panama, but it's estimated that the chytrid fungus killed up to 85% of all amphibians left behind in his natural habitat. He had lived in isolation at the Garden since 2008, according to the National Geographic. The actual cause of Toughie's death is still unclear.