Mountain chicken frogs might last if folks stop eating them

The mountain chicken frog has endured countless hardships, including volcanic eruptions, disease, fungus and being eaten nearly to extinction by hungry locals on the island of Montserrat. Their "meaty thighs" make a lovely meal and have also lent them their unfortunate name. "Locally their meat is a delicacy, apparently they taste like chicken," explains Mountain Chicken Recovery Programme coordinator Sarah-Louise Smith (we're betting she hasn't tasted one herself). With their population dwindling, a dozen of the captured critters were bred in the U.K. and rereleased on the island. Researchers are now listening for the telltale croaking that signals breeding. As long as the local chefs don't hear them, they might have a shot.