Frogs’ benefit to human health doesn’t stop there. Each species of frog produces a different cocktail of chemicals on their skin to protect them against infections, which Rowley said could be used in human medicine.

“In a world of antibiotic resistance, we’re looking in biodiversity for ways to save our own skin,” she said. “Frog secretions have been explored for use in pain medication, antivirals, antifungals and antibacterials. Even the goo that an Australian species, the holy cross frog, produces on its skin has been explored for use in knee cartilage repair in humans.”

Rowley’s search for threatened frogs has zeroed in on the northern towns of Glen Innes and Tenterfield, but she said people across the country could help.

“After initially searching for frogs in national parks around here, we’ve shifted our focus to private land where we’ve made important discoveries like the Booroolong frog in 2019, which also hadn’t been seen since the ’70s,” she said.

“Having landholders out there, using their mobile phones, and hopefully picking up the call of a feared extinct frog, will help us figure out what’s going on.”

People can record and submit frog calls they hear through the free FrogID app, as part of a citizen project run by the Australian Museum.

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With forecasts for a rainy summer in Sydney, Rowley said people would likely see more frogs hopping around their homes.

“It’s a good time to protect as many species as we can because most of them, particularly on the east coast and in Sydney, should be out and calling at this time,” she said.