Romeo the frog finds his Juliette

Image source, Robin Moore - Global Wildlife Conservation

Romeo was thought to be the only living Sehuencas water frog on earth but scientists have realised that's not the case. For nearly a year conservationists have been trying to find him his very own life partner - a Juliet - and now they think they've done it.

Scientists in Bolivia in South America searched streams and rivers for a partner for Romeo.

Biologists found him 10 years ago knowing that the Sehuencas water frog was in trouble, but they didn't think it would take them this long to find him a partner.

Image source, Stephane Knoll, Museo de Historia Natural

Global Wildlife Conservation and the Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny found more Sehuencas water frogs in the wild and rescued five for a breeding program in the hope lots of new frogs being born. There are now three males and two females including a Juliet for Romeo.

As part of the campaigned to raise money to find Romeo a mate, his profile was put on a popular dating website; It read: "Not to start this off super heavy or anything, but I'm literally the last of my species,".

Image source, Robin Moore - Global Wildlife Conservation

Image caption, Romeo in his tank

These are the first Sehuencas water frogs that biologists have seen in the wild in a ten years.

The water frogs lived on the bottom of small streams or rivers, and ponds in Bolivia. Their numbers have dramatically dropped because of the destruction of their homes and pollution.

Scientists are hoping to learn more about these frogs so that they can help to save the species, they will also try to breed more of them so that they can eventually be released into the wild and their numbers can increase.

The team in Bolivia plan to continue to look for frogs to find out if there are any more out there, and if so how many of them.