Breaking the news: we found a holy grail.

The Hula Painted Frog is one of the rarest animals on Earth. Last seen in the 1950s, it was presumed extinct as wetlands across the region were drained, and was officially declared extinct by the IUCN in 1996.

That changed in 2011, when an Israeli Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) ranger spotted something unusual during his morning patrol — and rediscovered one of ecology’s “holy grails.”

While the finding was kept confidential for three days to allow for scientific verification, we prepared the ground for its public release at the INPA Press Office. This included producing photos and video, briefing key stakeholders and experts, and preparing press materials in Hebrew, English, and French, alongside multiple narrative angles for international media. At the same time, the frog itself was returned safely to its natural habitat.

Once the discovery was made public, the story generated worldwide coverage, with thousands of reports across global media and interest extending well beyond environmental audiences. A 15-minute feature on Israel’s most-watched news programme was later voted the best news story of the year.

The campaign won the 2013 Israeli PR Award for Best Environmental Campaign.