​The World’s 'Loneliest' Frog Has Found Himself A Date

The world's loneliest frog has finally found a date after spending 10 long years in isolation at an aquarium.

Ironically named Romeo, the 11-year-old Sehuencas water frog has been single for a decade and living in isolation in an aquarium in Bolvia.

To try and find his Juliet, scientists decided to go on an expedition to a remote Bolvian cloud forest.

Five Sehuencas water frogs, including two females were found in a stream and were captured, with the aim of breeding and re-introducing the amphibians back into the wild.

Global Wildlife Conservation

Chief of herpetology at the Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny in Cochabamba City and expedition leader Teresa Camacho BadanihasTeresa Camacho Badanihas picked a frog to breed with Romeo.

She believes that opposites will definitely attract in this case.

Teresa told BBC News: "Romeo is really calm and relaxed and doesn't move a whole lot.

Global Wildlife Conservation/Robin Moore)

"He's healthy and likes to eat, but he is kind of shy and slow."

Juliet, however, has a very different personality. "She's really energetic, she swims a lot and she eats a lot and sometimes she tries to escape."

The five Seheuncas are the first of their kind to be seen in the wild for a decade despite previous searches.

Romeo was found 10 years ago when biologists knew the species was in trouble.

The frog wasn't meant to be alone for as long as he was, and last year a dating profile was launched for him to help him find that special someone.

All of the newly discovered frogs are now in quarantine at the museum's conservation centre, where they are trying everything they can to stop the species from becoming extinct.

Chris Jordan of Global Wildlife Conservation has said there is risk to taking animals into captivity but said because there are so little in the wild they wouldn't be able to maintain a population in the long term.

He said: "We have a real chance to save the Sehuencas water frog - restoring a unique part of the diversity of life that is the foundation of Bolivia's forests, and generating important information on how to restore similar species at grave risk of extinction."

The re-discovered frogs will be treated to protect against an infectious disease, chytridiomycosis, which is contributing to the diminishing number of amphibians around the world.

Romeo will then meet Juliet in an attempt to produce offspring that can be put back into their natural habitat.

Topics: Life News, Real, Animals

Mark Cunliffe

Mark is a writer at LADbible with a creative writing background and a history working at some of Manchester's biggest agencies. He loves football and music that screams a lot.

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