Taipei City Government

The Yuchi Music Frog (Nidirana shyhhuangi), cared for at Taipei Zoo's Amphibian and Reptile House, is an endangered frog species endemic to Taiwan, found only in a handful of wetlands in Nantou County. Its wild population is estimated to number only a few hundred individuals. In 2022, Taipei Zoo received tadpoles rescued by the Biodiversity Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture from drying wetlands and began an ex situ conservation breeding program for the species. In May 2023, The zoo successfully bred the frogs in captivity beginning in May 2023 and has since established reliable captive-breeding techniques for the species. Recently, the zoo upgraded a new Yuchi Music Frog exhibit near the exit of the Amphibian and Reptile House. Featuring a naturalistic amphibian terrarium, a life-sized model of the frogs' mud nests, and illustrated interpretive panels, the exhibit allows visitors to observe the frogs' appearance and life stages up close. During spring and summer, visitors may even hear the males' distinctive breeding call—"deng, deng, deng, deng, deng"—which resembles the sound of plucked harp strings.

In early 2025, Taiwan officially recognized a newly described endangered endemic frog species. Previously regarded as the Taiwanese population of the Harpist frog, it was confirmed as a distinct species through research conducted by teams from National Taiwan Normal University, the Biodiversity Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Forestry Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture. The species was named the Yuchi Music Frog (Nidirana shyhhuangi) after the area where it is found, while its specific name honors Professor Shyh-Huang Chen, who first discovered the species. Today, the Yuchi Music Frog is known from only two wetland habitats—Lianhuachi and Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County. At one point, the adult wild population was estimated to have declined to only a few hundred individuals. Because of its extremely restricted range, the species is highly vulnerable to human disturbance, environmental pollution, climate change, invasive species, and habitat loss caused by land development.

As part of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture 's Endangered Species Conservation Action Plan, Taipei Zoo has participated in conservation efforts for the Yuchi Music Frog since 2022. The zoo received tadpoles rescued by the Biodiversity Research Institute after falling autumn water levels left them stranded outside shrinking wetlands. Through captive breeding, the zoo established an ex situ assurance population and successfully bred adult frogs beginning in 2023. By 2026, more than 3,000 juvenile frogs had successfully completed metamorphosis, providing an important source population for future reintroduction efforts. The Yuchi Music Frog displays a unique mud-nesting behavior. Male frogs dig flask-shaped mud chambers, where they call to attract females for breeding. Eggs are laid inside these nests and develop into tadpoles. When rainfall breaks open the mud nests, the tadpoles are washed naturally into nearby water, where they continue their development. To recreate the frogs' natural habitat, zoo keepers carefully selected suitable clay-rich soil and provided leaf litter, sheltering vegetation, and rocks to simulate the moist, soft mudflats found along forest streams. These conditions allow the frogs to settle comfortably and encourage natural nest-building and breeding behavior.

The newly renovated Yuchi Music Frog exhibit near the exit of the Amphibian and Reptile House recreates the environmental conditions needed for the species to grow and breed. This area already features exhibits for Taipei frog and Asiatic Banded Water Snake, and the relocation of the Yuchi Music Frog exhibit creates a dedicated space introducing Taiwan's native endangered amphibians and reptiles. Through close-up observation, visitors can learn about these unique native species while also gaining a deeper understanding that conserving wild populations depends on the long-term collaboration and research efforts of local communities, conservation organizations, and scientists.