Eliminating an invasive species in Patagonia has made way for a native frog to return to the wild, according to Mongabay.

The El Rincon stream frog is endemic to a small patch of territory only 3.7 square miles in size on the Argentine Somuncurá Plateau. Rainbow trout were introduced into local waterways in the 1920s, which forced the El Rincon stream frog further afield to avoid predation.

In new territories, it encountered challenges from agriculture, namely vegetation die-off and runoff polluting its habitat. As a result, it has become the most endangered amphibian in Argentina.

This is why researcher Federico Kacoliris founded the Somuncurá Foundation. With support from nongovernmental organizations, local ranchers, and volunteers, he was able to dramatically diminish rainbow trout populations and protect their habitat so the El Rincon stream frog could recover.

This also required breeding 200 of the frogs in captivity to release later, but the work has increased populations by 15%. The foundation has secured 50,000 acres of land, which it hopes to donate to the Argentina National Parks Service to give the El Rincon stream frog added protections.

The Somuncurá Foundation recently won the Whitley Award, which includes a $67,000 prize that Kacoliris wants to put toward protecting other precarious species in the area.

The rainbow trout in Patagonia are an example of yet another invasive species causing severe damage to ecosystems.

When a plant or animal is removed from its native habitat, it doesn't have to deal with the checks and balances it evolved with. This allows it to monopolize resources in a new habitat, push out native species, cause a decline in biodiversity, and ultimately reduce ecosystem services that benefit humans.

A study by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services suggested that invasive species cause hundreds of billions in economic costs worldwide every year.

Protecting habitats from invasives is a key aspect of protecting the environment. Amphibians, in particular, play a crucial role in reducing pest populations, including those that carry malaria or threaten crops.

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For Kacoliris, rescuing the El Rincon stream frog is about more than just material benefits.

"The frogs are like [a] flagship species," he said, per Mongabay. "[The ranchers] are really proud about being neighbors of these incredible animals, it's a kind of local symbol."

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