Government plans to allow mining on seven areas of the Coromandel Peninsula threaten to deal a "devastating blow" to the critically endangered Archey's frogs, says a conservation expert.
"Archey's frogs are already the most globally endangered amphibian in the world," Otago University zoologist Phil Bishop said.
"They are not only critically endangered, but they are also a living fossil."
Archey's frogs were almost indistinguishable from the fossilised remains of frogs that walked amongst the dinosaurs 150 million years ago.
The species was ranked top of the Zoological Society of London's "edge of existence" amphibian list, and was regarded as the world's most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered amphibian out of 6000 species.
"In terms of conservation, the world simply cannot afford to lose such a valuable creature," Dr Bishop said.
Areas of conservation land proposed for mining on the Coromandel -- even though listed on schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act for protection -- include several long-term frog monitoring sites.
These sites represented the best data on frog populations anywhere in the world, and to lose such a precious resource would not only accelerate the extinction of Archey's frogs but could also trigger a severe decline in the rare Hochstetter's frog population.
"I find it ironic that in the Year of International Biodiversity that such a shattering blow to global amphibian conservation could be considered," said Dr Bishop, winner of Auckland Zoo's 2008 Conservationist of the Year award for his efforts for New Zealand's four endemic frogs.
"New Zealand has a responsibility to do everything possible to guarantee the survival of these incredible amphibians," he said. "We should be ensuring their survival, and not their extinction".
Auckland Zoo has separately protested the removal of any conservation land from Schedule 4.
"Mining this conservation land would tarnish New Zealand's 'clean, green' image, and put at risk this country's hard-earned international conservation credentials," zoo conservation officer, Peter Fraser said.
Areas proposed for mining in the Coromandel were home to important indigenous forest, waterways identified as nationally important for biodiversity, wildlife including brown teal, kaka, kiwi and the Hochstetter's frog as well as being a "stronghold" for the Archey's frog.
The zoo has been running a breeding and research programme for Archey's frog for six years, but said that if the population was wiped out in the wild, New Zealand had no back-up population.
Other habitats and wildlife under threat should mining proceed, would include native forest on Great Barrier Island, home to both Chevron skink and endangered brown teal, and Paparoa National Park where there were species such as the great spotted kiwi, kaka, and kereru.
The zoo was urging all New Zealanders make a submission to Parliament asking Government to retain all Schedule 4 protections before submissions close next week, on May 26.
Thousands, including actresses Lucy Lawless and Robyn Malcolm, recently marched through central Auckland protesting against the proposed mining.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright has said there is not enough information available to decide on whether mining should be allowed in some protected areas.
