Natalia Lucano

Alpine Tree Frog (Litoria verreauxii alpina)

Watercolour on paper

15cm x 10cm

Artist statement: According to the IUCN red list, 41% of the worlds known amphibian species are threatened to become extinct. Animals such as frogs face threats such as habitat loss, water pollution, and extreme weather. In the last 20 years the Alpine Tree Frog has gone from being an abundant species, to being completely decimated to a few safe pockets of habitat. One such safe pocket, is Kosciuszko National Park. This species might be a rice grain in a vast interlinking web, however every species has their role in the ecosystem, if we lose them, we will see a cascade of extinctions. We must do what we can now to protect these pockets of habitat and keep the ecosystems and the native wildlife safe from invasive feral species such as Brumbies. The Alpine Tree Frog is just one of many threatened species that advocate for the protection of their home, Kosciuszko.