Dozen new frog species found in Western Ghats
Different croaks
Scouring through the jungles of Western Ghats for years, scientists have discovered a dozen new species of frogs including two from Karnataka showing that the Ghats still have much to be explored.
Besides the duo from Karnataka, 8 new species from Kerala, four from Tamil Nadu and one from Maharashtra were found. “While six were seen inside the forest areas, the remaining six were spotted outside the protected areas.
The unprotected highly-degraded habitats of these frogs required to be conserved,” SD Biju, a scientist at Delhi University who led the exercise told Deccan Herald.
Unique habitats
The night frogs require unique habitats – either fast flowing streams or moist forest floor for breeding and survival. It is the only group of frogs that can achieve fertilisation and reproduction without any physical contact. “Amphibians are environmental barometers and are the most threatened species on Earth.
Their conservation is extremely vital for overall conservation of nature,” said Biju who so far discovered 45 new amphibian species from India and is on the look out for close to 60 frog species which were thought to have been wiped out of India, years ago.
The new species from Karnataka were found in Chikmagalur, Hassan and Shimoga districts even though other districts too harbour many known night frog species. Three long-lost frogs were also rediscovered.
While Kempholey Night Frog and Forest Night Frogs were rediscovered after 75 years, the Coorg Night Frog has been spotted after a gap of 91 years.
Renowned scholar CR Narayan Rao from then Bangalore Central College in Karnataka described these frogs between 1920 and 1937.
However, for decades following their original description, no further reports of these three little known species were made. With novel and rediscovered frog species being found from many states, India may also become the first country to have a conservation programme for amphibians including the frogs.
The researchers are penning a national project on the need to conserve Indian frogs, which would be submitted to the government for approval.
India currently has 317 known species of amphibians – 283 frogs, 33 caecilians and one salamander.
Out of these 300 odd species, 168 are found in the Western Ghats with 146 endemic species.
Incidentally a high-level committee set up by the government to suggest ways and means of conservation of biodiversity in the Western Ghats is all set to submit its report to the Union Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan next week.
