The Mallorcan midwife toad (Alytes muletensis, Sanchíz & Alcover, 1977) or
ferreret was first described in the 1970s as Baleaphryne muletensis from upper
Pleistocene fossils, and was considered extinct. The discovery of live tadpoles in
1980 led to further research which confirmed the species as extant and endemic
to Mallorca (Mayol & Alcover, 1981). Subfossils suggest that the species was
once widespread across the island, but today it is confined to a few gorges within
the Serra de Tramuntana mountains in the north-west part of the island. There
are currently about 34 populations within the mountains and adjacent areas (16
original wild populations plus 18 re-introductions). These are largely isolated from
each other by physiographic barriers, but there is little evidence of any inbreeding
depression. Re-introduction of captive bred toads started in 1989 and it is
estimated that about 25% of the wild toads stem from captive bred stock. The
successful re-introduction program contributed to the downgrading of the species
from ‘Critically Endangered’ to ‘Vulnerable’ in the Global Amphibian Assessment
of 2004. There is little evidence that wild populations are continuing to decline, but
the recent discovery of chytridiomycosis in four populations gives cause for
concern
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