The frog’s brilliant black and gold stripes drew the admiration of Burrumbuttock Public School’s Rhylee Lieschke, 11, on National Threatened Species Day.

Rhylee also came face-to-face with a startling fact — there are just 100 to 200 left in the wild.

“I really like its colours and how interesting it is,” Rhylee said.

“And I learnt about how the frogs help the environment.”

He was one of about 60 students from five small schools participating in the Murray Catchment Management Authority launch of its school frog education program at Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre, Burrumbuttock.

Wirraminna educational co-ordinator and Burrumbuttock principal Owen Dunlop said the day was one of 15 planned over the next couple of weeks across the Murray catchment.

As part of the program all schools participating are invited to have a tadpole kit in the classroom.

When the tadpoles have completed their lifecycle and turned into strong frogs, the students will release them into the wild.