Researchers in Australia have found a rare blue magnificent tree frog due to a genetic mutation called axanthism, which suppresses the yellow pigments that usually make the frogs green.
Land managers at a wildlife sanctuary in Kimberley, Western Australia, discovered the blue frog when it hopped into their workshop. They sent photos to Jake Barker, a conservation intern, who was thrilled by the find. He noted that magnificent tree frogs are typically green with white spots and have a distinctive poison gland on their heads.
These frogs can live up to 20 years and are usually found in areas of low rainfall in the northern Kimberley region and nearby Northern Territory. This blue frog is the first of its kind ever seen by researchers.
Jodi Rowley, a herpetologist at the Australian Museum, mentioned that blue frogs are rare because they lack natural camouflage, making them easy targets for predators. The newly discovered frog is 4.7 inches long and appears to be a few years old. Rowley described it as “one of the most beautiful frogs I’ve ever seen.”