Elusive Dancing Frogs Of Western Ghats One Of The Most Threatened Amphibian Genus, States Global Report
The world is facing a critical Amphibian crisis with 41% of species on the brink of extinction! The alarming statistics were revealed in the second Global Amphibian Assessment, a comprehensive analysis of 8,011 species worldwide, conducted by over 1,000 experts. Led by Re:wild, Synchronicity Earth, and the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, the study has indicated that climate change is one of the biggest and most direct threats to amphibians, alongside habitat loss, disease, fire, invasive species and over-exploitation.
Of the 426 species assessed in India, 139 were found to be threatened (which includes Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable as per IUCN Red List criteria in the sequence of them being closer to extinction). Western Ghat a biodiversity hotspot spread across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is rich in amphibian diversity. Among these three states, Kerala has 178 species of which 84 are threatened, Tamil Nadu is next with 128 species of which 54 are threatened and Karnataka is in third place with 100 species of which 30 are threatened.
Vivek Menon, Chair of the Global Council of the Amphibian Survival Alliance & Founder and ED, Wildlife Trust of India expressed, “I am happy that this comprehensive assessment is now complete but it is concerning to see that amphibians are the second most declining taxa in the world after corals.”
64 species of amphibians found in the Western Ghats are on the list of endangered species. Among these, the endemic family Micrixalidae having the dancing frog genus: Micrixalus is the most threatened frog genus in India.
Dr. Gururaja K V, Batrachologist who contributed to this study said, “Endemic to the Western Ghats of India, the *Micrixalus* genus, commonly known as dancing frogs, have a curious habit of waving their hind legs to defend their territory from intruding males during the breeding season. Among 24 species of dancing frogs assessed as part of the second global amphibian assessment, two are critically endangered and 15 are endangered making them the most threatened of all Indo-Malayan genera. It is the 5th most threatened genus in the world with 92% of its species in the threatened category.”
Coming in a close second is the Nyctibatrachidae (night frogs) with 83.9% of its species threatened across the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Dr. Sandeep Das, Herpetologist & National Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Calicut, who’s also part of the study said, “In a state like Kerala where more than 50% of the species present falls in threatened categories, huge data sets like this will enable us to understand the gaps and problems these delicate animals face. This will eventually lead us towards proper conservation plans and actions.”
Dr. Harikrishnan S, Head—Amphibian Recovery Project, WTI, said, “Wildlife Trust of India’s Amphibian Recovery Project in the Munnar Landscape of Kerala is actively working to recover the population of threatened amphibians by addressing the challenges that cause the risk of extinction, threat mitigation through strategically planned conservation action, capacity development and training, advocacy and information sharing implemented by a stakeholder network.”
Currently, the project is focussing on 5 species —Deccan Night Frog (Endangered), Resplendent shrub frog (Endangered), Kadalar Swamp Frog (Endangered), Anaimalai Flying Frog (Vulnerable), and Meowing Night Frog (Near Threatened).
“Munnar in the Western Ghats is identified as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) and an Alliance for Zero Extinction site due to its critical role in preserving threatened amphibians. Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in partnership with Synchronicity Earth has been working to assess amphibian populations, building stakeholder consensus and focussing on habitat restoration,” said Menon, who also leads WTI’s Amphibian Recovery Project.
“Amphibians are disappearing faster than we can study them, but the list of reasons to protect them is long, including their role in pest control, alerting us to environmental conditions, and making the planet more beautiful,” said Kelsey Neam, Re:wild, Species Priorities and Metrics Coordinator. “And while our paper focuses on the effects of climate change on amphibians, the reverse is also critically important: that the protection and recovery of amphibians is a solution to the climate crisis because of their key role in keeping carbon-storing ecosystems healthy. As a global community, it is time to invest in the future of amphibians, which is an investment in the future of our planet.”
For more information, contact Arinita Ph. 9582490170— email: media@wti.org.in
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is a conservation organisation established in 1998 with a mission to conserve nature, especially endangered species and threatened habitats, in partnership with communities and governments.
In its 25 years of operations, WTI has saved more than 42,000 animal lives, trained and equipped 20,000 frontline forest staff, and assisted the govt. in creating 7 Protected Areas, sensitised 25 lakh children to conservation, protected almost 1200 sq km of natural habitat including mangroves and coral reefs and assisted enforcement agencies in combating wildlife crimes.