Mountain Chicken Recovery Programme

Did you locate the hidden mountain chicken in our previous post?

If you did, well done!!

This Mountain Chicken was well hidden with only one eye peeking out of the leaves.

Due to the Mountain Chickens coloration, they can hide perfectly in their surroundings, protecting themselves from potential predators and ambush their prey. Thanks to our headlights we can locate the Mountain Chickens at night.

On November 2nd, our Coordinator delivered an engaging presentation to Monty’s Ambassadors, the Montserrat National Trust's youth group, highlighting the vital work being carried out through the project. Following the insightful session, the group visited the Duberry Cassava Trail, where they installed new nature connection prompts to complement the existing signage that was first erected in 2022.

Looking ahead, Monty’s Ambassadors will continue this initiative by placing additional nature connection prompts on three other designated trails throughout the remainder of this year and into 2026.

Upon receiving four juveniles from Norden’s Ark, the team identified a new challenge: ensuring the safety and monitoring of these young individuals within our existing 25 m × 25 m enclosure. Given their size and vulnerability, there was concern regarding potential predation and the difficulty of locating them within the larger space.

To address these concerns, the team constructed a mini enclosure within the main habitat. This structure provides a secure and fully enclosed area designed to exclude aerial predators and other potential threats. The mini enclosure allows for closer monitoring and easier management of the juveniles during their early growth stages.

The juveniles have successfully settled into their new environment. Their activity levels and behavior suggest they are adapting well to the enclosure, and the design has effectively mitigated the immediate risks of predation and dispersal within the larger space.

I spy with my Mountain Chicken eyes, somewhere underneath these leaves hide a mountain chicken in disguise. 🐸👀

Blending into its surroundings, Mountain Chickens are experts at camouflage, making it tricky for both humans and predators to find them. With their natural camouflage they can vanish into the forest floor concealing themselves, perfect for survival in the wild.

The MCRP team is currently seeking cardboard egg boxes & cardboard for the Live Feed Breeding Insect Facility. These recycled materials are vital for creating space and enrichment for the insects in our care. Any size is welcome.

If you have any available, we would greatly appreciate your support. Drop offs are welcome at our Insect Facility in Brades below the Veterinary Office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 9-12 or at the Montserrat National Trust in Olveston.

Following a two-week quarantine period at partner facilities, the frogs are now ready to be released into the semi-wild enclosure.

Each individual was carefully captured, photographed for future identification, and weighed to ensure they had regained any weight lost during transport. Once assessed, the frogs were safely prepared for their journey back to their natural habitat.

Upon arrival at the enclosure, they were released and shortly after, began calling, a promising sign as they adjusted to their new environment.

Thank you to our on island partner Montserrat National Trust for their continued support of the Mountain Chickens.

Upgrades, upgrades, upgrades!

The team has recently made major improvements to our semi-wild safe haven enclosure.

In 2019, Kristofer, a zookeeper from Norden’s Ark, visited the island to collect environmental data with the goal of recreating natural conditions in an ex-situ setting. Thanks to his work, Norden’s Ark has become the leading institution in breeding Mountain Chickens. Their success has been so remarkable that we’ve adopted their approach, applying lessons learned in captivity to strengthen our in-situ efforts.

One of the biggest changes is the installation of inspection wells which are dug into the ground, lined with clay, and fitted with PVC tubing for entrances. These allow us to monitor nesting activities more efficiently, while keeping disturbance to a minimum.

You might be wondering: how will we observe new nesting sites without disruption?
The answer lies in our new camera-equipped nest boxes.

Nest boxes have a camera attached to its lid, letting us download and review footage. That means soon we’ll be able to share with you exciting breeding footage straight from our enclosure, delivered right to the comfort of your home!

The Mountain Chicken Recovery Programme recently built on the success of its latest translocation by welcoming valued regional and international partners to the island to assist with essential facility upgrades.

We were joined by Sara and Kristofer from Norden’s Ark, Violaine from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and Josh from the Dominica Forestry Division. Their expertise, commitment, and collaboration have been instrumental in strengthening our capacity to safeguard the critically endangered mountain chicken frog (Leptodactylus fallax).

The past week has been both productive and rewarding, and MCRP looks forward to providing further updates on the progress achieved through these joint efforts.

The Mountain Chicken Recovery Programme (MCRP) is delighted to announce the successful arrival of 24 mountain chickens in Montserrat from our partnering organisation, Nordens Ark in Sweden, as part of our ongoing conservation efforts. These frogs were previously part of the bio-secure international breeding programme. Upon arrival, each animal was weighed, swabbed, and rehydrated with ringer’s solution in accordance with established veterinary protocols.

The new arrivals consist of 10 adult males, 10 adult females, and 4 juveniles, providing a strong demographic foundation for the next stage of the MCRP. This new phase will focus on advancing the breeding of the species in a semi-wild environment, strengthening long-term recovery efforts for one of the world’s most endangered amphibians.

This milestone not only marks a major step forward for the survival of the mountain chicken in Montserrat but also contributes to global amphibian conservation and the restoration of biodiversity in fragile ecosystems.

Thank you to all parties involved who made this Translocation a reality!

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Just your friendly neighbourhood mountain chicken frog, peeking out from the safety of its hide to make sure the coast is clear!

Since the mountain chickens are masters of camouflage, they blend perfectly into leaves, logs, and rock crevices. By using the hides, mountain chickens can keep themselves cool to conserve energy, avoid predators and ambush unsuspecting prey.

The Mountain Chicken reaches sexual maturity around 3 years of age and has a lifespan of approximately 12 years, though some individuals may live longer in captivity. Mature females typically produce only one brood per breeding season, while males may mate with multiple females in a season. The Mountain Chicken is the largest species in the genus Leptodactylus and is also one of the largest living frog species. Individuals can reach a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of over 20 cm (about 8 inches) and can weigh up to or over 900 grams (nearly 2 pounds).