water below to mature. Reproduction Giant Banjo Frogs breeds during spring and summer and occasionally autumn if rainfall is adequate.The reproductive cycle of the Giant Banjo Frog requires semi-permanent bodies of water, where each female can lay up to 4000 eggs. After the spawning phase eggs will hatch within a few days and tend to remain on the bottom of the water. The next stage of larval development where tadpoles mature into frogs takes around two and a half months. Behaviour Calls The peak calling period of the Giant Banjo Frog is between September to November. Males call from vegetation or flooded burrows. The genus of Banjo Frogs is known for its distinctive "bonk" sound, similar to that of a Banjo being plucked, with the Giant Banjo Frog having a short deep note with a similar, but lower dominant frequency, to that of the Southern or Eastern Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes dumerili). Males often synchronise their calls with surrounding frogs which causes a rapid series of "bonk" sounds. Evolutionary relationships Giant Banjo Frogs have been known to take advantage of Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) incubation mounds, which provide high moisture content and soft enough soil with which to dig, providing optimal aestivation sites. This has allowed giant banjo frogs to live on agricultural land when soil can typically be too dry and compacted for them. This relationship has the potential to impact this type of habitat for Giant Banjo Frogs due to predation by foxes of the Malleefowl, which is listed as a vulnerable species under the EPBC Act 1999. Threats Environmental Although the Giant Banjo Frog is relatively resilient to periods of drought, other indirect effects such as retreating water tables or an increase in groundwater salinity has the potential to limit their ability to thrive throughout extended dry periods. Human Interaction An increase in agricultural practices, manufacturing and land-use around the Murray-Darling Basin has led to a decline in health of the area and its inhabitants. The Murray-Darling Basin is an ecological hotspot for not only the Giant Banjo Frog but many other native plants, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. Conservation The Giant Banjo Frog is currently listed as species of Least Concern under the EPBC Act 1999. There is currently no conservation efforts in place for the Giant Banjo Frog, but management of the Murray-Darling Basin includes plans to mitigate overall habitat loss and conserve Australia's natural landscape