Why aren't frogs and other smaller animals given the same treatment as tigers, elephants and leopards, asks Girish Janney, who, after his PhD, decided to come back to his little village in the Sharavathi valley to conduct research on frogs and make efforts towards their conservation.
Girish focussed on one frog that is endemic to the western ghats - the Kumbara night frog (Nyctibatrachus kumbara). He studied how development impacts the habitat of the Kumabara night frog. He believes that frogs are environmental health indicators.
Girish’s belief is that no conservation efforts can be successful without the participation of locals. For him, children are the best influencers. This is why the researcher has been taking students to the heart of the forest to explain the connection between flora, fauna and humans.
Published 14 January 2024, 06:48 IST