Scientists have put forward a $15 million plan to save Australia's seven most endangered frogs from extinction as a deadly fungus devastates their numbers.

The seven most at-risk frogs are: The southern corroboree frog (NSW)

The southern corroboree frog (NSW) The northern corroboree frog (ACT and NSW)

The northern corroboree frog (ACT and NSW) The Baw Baw frog (Vic)

The Baw Baw frog (Vic) The spotted tree frog (Vic)

The spotted tree frog (Vic) The Tasmanian tree frog (Tas)

The Tasmanian tree frog (Tas) The Kroombit tinker frog (Qld)

The Kroombit tinker frog (Qld) The armoured mist frog (Qld)

David Newell, a lecturer in environmental science at Southern Cross University, and his colleagues have identified the seven most at-risk frogs.

Six frog species have already become extinct as a result of the fungus's expansion into Australia.

He said steps needed to be taken urgently to save the seven endangered frogs species, which have already taken a hit from the fungus's spread.

"We need to act," he said.

"It's a massive deal. We've already lost six species and extinction is forever.

"There's a lot of medical compounds that have come from frog skin. But they're also beautiful animals and they have an inherent right to exist."

The Baw Baw frog has been boosted by a captive breeding program at the Melbourne zoo. ( Melbourne Zoo: Damian Goodall )

The frogs are vulnerable to a fungus known as chytrid, which attacks their skin, impairing frogs' ability to breathe and manage their hydration.

Dr Newell said the origins of the fungus are unclear, but it probably arrived in Queensland in the 1970s and spread from there.

And he said the problem is not isolated to Australia.

"It's a global phenomenon. Hundreds of species worldwide are now extinct because of the chytrid fungus," Dr Newell said.

The plan proposes to spend the money monitoring the current populations and researching the fungus, while undertaking captive breeding programs to boost numbers.

Some of the seven frogs identified, such as the corroboree frogs and the Baw Baw frog already have such programs in place.

The captive breeding was set up when the first threat abatement plan for the chytrid fungus was developed in 2006.

The plan was reviewed at the end of last year and will go before the Environment Minister Greg Hunt within the next month.

The northern corroboree frog is a distinct species from its southern cousin. ( Taronga Zoo: Michael McFadden )

Threatened Species Commissioner Gregory Andrews said, "Minister Hunt has asked me to make sure that all recovery plans are up to date. I'll being making sure that this plan gets into minister Hunt's in-tray as soon as possible."

But Dr Newell is concerned existing funding will not be renewed.

"Unfortunately there hasn't been any funds attached to the new threat abatement plan and there really needs to be, because we're a long way from being able to save these species," he said.

"It's not a lot of money in the broader scheme of things."

However, Mr Andrews said it was too soon to be attaching dollar figures to the species' survival.

"What we need to focus on rather than the money is the applied ecology on the ground. As we find innovative solutions, costs can come down," he said.

But he confirmed the urgency of the situation facing the frogs

"I strongly agree with the need to act on chytrid. Not just for Australia's frogs, but for the world's frogs," he said.