Holistic Approaches to Conserving the Purple Frog in India

Blueprint

ASSESS

The Purple Frog in Kerala was scientifically described as a species in 2003, although local communities in India were aware of the frog long before. In 2004, based on the limited information available at the time, the species was assessed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In this assessment, only three females were identified among an observation of 135 frogs.

By 2012, however, the Purple Frog was reported from additional areas within a range from Cardamom Hill to Camel Hump Mountains in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Subsequently, the Zoological Society of London’s EDGE of Existence programme conducted a project survey (2017–2020) that identified 131 individual breeding sites, 50% of which fall within protected areas. The EDGE programme focuses specifically on threatened species that represent a significant amount of unique evolutionary history. Additional survey sites have been added since 2020 to fill in data gaps. A Red List reassessment is currently being evaluated with the expectation that the status of the Purple Frog will be changed as a result of a much greater understanding of the frog’s present range, threats, and the conservation efforts that have been undertaken.

PLAN

The EDGE project survey led to producing a Survival Blueprint plan in 2019 that summarises everything known about the species, with an action programme identifying conservation needs and priorities, costs, stakeholders, indicators, and risks. The blueprint’s threat analysis identified road kill, consumption of tadpoles and adults, check dam installations, pesticide application, and habitat loss as key concerns for the Purple Frog. Fortunately, human consumption is not a major threat, as good populations are still found in areas where it occurs. Conservation actions were outlined in response to these key threats, and planning took into account the relevant stakeholders and other factors that could potentially affect the success of each conservation action. Socio-cultural effects, economic implications, existing conservation measures, administrative set-up and costs, local expertise and interest, and available resources all played a part in planning the species’ protection.

ACT

The EDGE team has been working to study and protect the Purple Frog since 2017, conducting surveys and following its developed blueprint described above, plus a roadkill survey which began in 2020. This work also involves enlisting community participation, including volunteers to clear pollution and debris from breeding sites, and engaging in several conservation awareness-raising activities with local leaders, teachers, students, and community members. The Kerala Forest Department restricted tourist access to breeding sites, and developed workshops, training programmes, and amphibian and reptile surveys of Protected Areas; these measures substantially increased citizen engagement for this project. Additionally, many local NGOs have joined to participate in the conservation effort.

The Purple Frog’s popularity in the region has gained traction by associating them with the story of King Mahabali, which is celebrated during the annual Onam Festival (a Hindu celebration). A proposal was also submitted to declare the species as the State Frog for Kerala, an idea that has been widely covered by the media. If this proposal is agreed upon within the Government of Kerala, more conservation attention will be given to this species.

Results

As a result of these activities, the known range of the Purple Frog has expanded and it has benefited from focused and multi-faceted conservation actions. It is possible that the next Red List assessment may show a change in status from the first Endangered classification due to additional information gathered and conservation awareness. A related species of Purple Frog from the Western Ghats (Nasikabatrachus bhupathi), formally discovered in 2017 and not yet assessed for the Red List, will also benefit from the activities in the conservation blueprint for N. sahyadrensis. Within the next 5–10 years, scientific experts and stakeholders will be working to establish the Purple Frog as an ambassador for amphibian conservation. This will help highlight the importance of addressing major threats and creating new protected areas. The team envisions that by following the long-term goals of the Survival Blueprint, total recovery of the Purple Frog in Kerala and its habitat could occur within the next 30–50 years.