Non-breeding habitat requirements of the giant burrowing frog, Heleioporus australiacus (Anura: Myobatrachidae) in south-eastern Australia

Abstract

Non-breeding habitats are an important, yet poorly understood component of the habitat requirements of most frog species. As a result, non-breeding habitats may be poorly protected and their loss may be the proximate cause of decline for some species. The giant burrowing frog is a threatened frog species in south-eastern Australia. To understand its non-breeding habitat requirements, we measured the habitat attributes associated with non-breeding records of this frog from a number of sites in southern New South Wales and compared these with a series of sites where the species has not been detected. The giant burrowing frog records were typically associated with dry forest and little vegetative ground cover and we suggest that this may be related to the ability of the species to burrow at a site. Suitable habitat areas appear to be widespread across south-eastern NSW and Victoria, and the difficulty in detecting the species appears to be the best explanation for the lack of records from many areas.