Assessment Results
Consolidated Conservation Needs Assessment
Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis, Purple Frog, Pig-nosed Frog
Assessed for:
India
by:
Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016;
AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020;
Order:
Anura
Family:
Nasikabatrachidae
IUCN Global Red List:
Endangered (EN)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
India
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
107.281039
Recommended Conservation Actions:
In Situ Conservation (n=2, 100%), In Situ Research (n=2, 100%), Conservation Education (n=2, 100%),
Additional Comments:
Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016.
AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020.
Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016.
AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020.
| Question # | Short Name | Question Text | Response | Comments |
| 1 | Extinction risk | Current IUCN Red List category. [Data obtained from the IUCN Red List.] |
Endangered (EN) (100%) |
|
| 2 | Possibly extinct | Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? |
No / unlikely (100%) |
|
| 3 | Phylogenetic significance | The taxon’s Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) score, as generated by the ZSL EDGE program. (These data are not editable by Assessors). |
ED value > 100 (100%) |
|
| 4 | Protected habitat | Is a population of at least 50% of the individuals of the taxon included within a well-managed or reliably protected area or areas? |
No / unlikely (50%) Yes / probably (50%) |
Published information suggests that majority of the population is outside protected areas. Further studies has to be conducted to confirm the presence of the animal inside protected areas Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 This species is endemic to the Western Ghats in India, and is known from only two localities, both in Idukki District in the Cardomom Hills in Kerala: Kattapana; and near Idukki town. In Kerala, it is also known from Kothamangalam in Ernakulam District, Erumely in Kottayam District (Dutta et al. 2004), Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad District (Das 2006), Karuvarakundu in Malappuram District (Radhakrishnan et al. 2007), Pattikkad Range in Thrissur Forest Division, Poringalkuthu in Vazhachal, Thrissur District, Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary (Jobin et al. 2012), and Nadukani–Moolamattom–Kulamaav tribal settlement (Thomas and. Biju 2015). It is also present in Tamil Nadu State, at Sankaran Kudi in the Anamalai (Dutta et al. 2004) and Karian Shola in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (Raj et al. 2011). It has also been found in Anappantham Forest (Tadpoles, Nikhil Modak and Nameer, pers. comm), and from Periyar Tiger Reserve, Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, Thattekad Wildlife Sanctuary, Vazhchal Reserve Forests, Ranni Forest Division, Konni Division, Mankulam Reserve Forests, Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary, Peechi Wildlife Sanctuary, Nelliyampathy Reserve Forests, Nilambur Reserve Forests, Mannarkad Forest Division, Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Sillent Valley National Park, Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). Other locations outside of protected areas include Idukki, Wagamon, Nilambur, Karuvarakkundu, Ambanad, Dhoni, Vazhazchal, Valparai, Malakkapara (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). This is likely to be its full distribution (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). It ranges between 30 and 1,400 m asl (Zachariah et al. 2012, Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 5 | Habitat for reintroduction, conservation translocation or supplementation | Does enough well-managed and reliably protected habitat exist, either within or outside of currently protected areas that is suitable for conservation translocation, including population restoration or conservation introduction? |
Yes / probably (100%) |
Suitable habitats are found across hill ranges of Southern Western Ghats both inside and outside protected area starting from Shenkotai gap up to Brahmagiris Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 |
| 6 | Previous reintroductions | Have reintroduction or translocation attempts been made in the past for this species? |
No (100%) |
|
| 7 | In situ conservation activities | Are any in situ conservation actions currently in place for this species? (Only required if a Red List Assessment has not been completed, or if new actions have been implemented since the last Red List Assessment. (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.). |
Yes / probably (100%) |
It is present in many protected areas, AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 8 | In situ conservation activities | Are additional in situ conservation actions required to help conserve this species in the wild (e.g. habitat restoration and/or protection, control of invasive species, national legislation etc.)? |
Yes / probably (100%) |
The protection of forest habitat within its range is an urgent priority. The most important conservation measures proposed for this taxon are long-term monitoring, awareness campaigns among indigenous communities and local people designed specifically to educate and provide them with basic amenities and employment opportunities, and further studies focused on evaluating the long-term effects of tadpole and adult consumption on subpopulations. Additional surveys on distribution and specific local threats are also needed (Thomas and Biju 2015). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? |
Yes (100%) |
The most important conservation measures proposed for this taxon are long-term monitoring. Additional surveys on specific local threats are also needed (Thomas and Biju 2015), including the effects of Bd, and its fossorial ecology. AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 10 | Threat mitigation | Are the threats facing the taxon, including any new and emerging threats not considered in the IUCN Red List, potentially reversible? |
Threats are likely to be reversible in time frame to prevent further decline / extinction (100%) |
In addition to habitat loss recently information on the consumption of both adult and tadpoles by some indigenous communities was published Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 It has been found in disturbed secondary forest contiguous with montane evergreen forest, but presumably occurs in undisturbed forest as well (though apparently it does not survive in open, completely cleared habitats). The main threat is forest loss due to expanding cultivation (of coffee, cardamom, ginger and other species). There is an ongoing loss of natural habitats due to anthropogenic disturbance over much of the Western Ghats. This is caused by the development of roads and road widening (K.V. Gururaja pers. comm. August 2020), small-scale plantations, illegal encroachment and unsustainable harvesting of tree species. An additional threat is dam construction - extensive small check dams both outside and inside PAs (Dutta et al. 2004, Aggarwal 2004) which will affect the streams used by this species for breeding and cause flooding (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). Road mortalities are considered to be a major threat particularly in areas in Idukki - just one observation included a 2km stretch, with 36 breeding pairs observed dead within Nelliyampathi Reserve Forests (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). The noise from road traffic may also interfere with their acoustic communication. Tourism - species breeds in seasonal torrents, and habitat may be affected by pollution which is detrimental to eggs, tadpoles and adults e.g. clogging oviposition sites etc. Climate change - eggs hatch to tadpoles within 7 days - any changes in rainfall could cause the drying of its breeding sites or excessive rainfall will result in the mortality of tadpoles and loss of egg clutches (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). Granite quarrying for construction is a major threat throughout its range, and landslides which can occur throughout the species' range will be a problem with one a year occurring since 2018 (India RLA/CNA workshop, October 2020). Human activities of road building and quarrying can cause these landslides (India RLA/CNA workshop, October 2020). This species has been swabbed for Bd with mixed results- due to fossorial behaviour, not much access to individuals, but further studies required to investigate the full effects of this species. AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 11 | Over-collection from the wild | Is the taxon suffering from collection within its natural range, either for food, for the pet trade or for any other reason, which threatens the species’ continued persistence in the wild? |
No / unlikely (100%) |
Consumption of the population of adults and tadpoles outside protected area by indigenous communities in a belief that they are having medicinal properties against respiratory disorders was reported recently. Consumption was reported only in one location among its wide distirbution range.The same study also mentions about the practice being going for a long time and still a good population survive in the same landscape. Probably more research is required to see whether the consumption is unsustainable. Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 Adults and larvae are collected from the wild as medicine (Kanagavel et al. 2020), although this occurs in local areas (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020) (see further details in question 15 below). This is mostly undertaken by older people, and the practice will likely decrease in the future as behaviours change (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 12 | Population recovery | Is the known population of this species in the wild large enough to recover naturally, without ex situ intervention if threats are mitigated? |
Yes / probably (100%) |
It is a common species but it hard to find because of its fossorial habit (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). More than 1,000 breeding pairs have been observed since 2011 (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 13 | Action plans | Does an Action Plan for the species already exist, or is one currently being developed? |
No (100%) |
|
| 14 | Biological distinctiveness | Does the taxon exhibit a distinctive reproductive mode, behaviour, aspect of morphology or physiology, within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.)? |
Aspect of biology identified that is unique to species (50%) Aspect of biology shared with < 6 other species (50%) |
Western Ghat endemic and endangered fossorial frog which revealed the ancient bio geographical link between India and Seychelles Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 This is a fossorial species, which only comes above the ground for about 2-4 hours each year (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 15 | Cultural/socio-economic importance | Does the taxon have a special human cultural value (e.g. as a national or regional symbol, in a historic context, featuring in traditional stories) or economic value (e.g. food, traditional medicine, tourism) within its natural range or in a wider global context? |
Yes (100%) |
An iconic species of Western Ghats. Used as a traditional medicine among indigenous tribes against respiratory disorders Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 Local indigenous groups have different names for this species (Kanagavel et al. 2020). Adults and larvae are consumed specifically by children and infants as medicine for skin-based ailments, cold, cough, throat infection, asthma, measles, chicken pox and stomach pain. They are consumed after cooking or after drying and/or powdered or vapours from burning the dried frog are inhaled. Fat tissue/mucous lining is applied on external wounds. Small-sized individuals, skin, limbs, or digit ends are used as amulets for children to reduce fear, when they are unable to sleep at night or who do not speak or walk well (Kanagavel et al. 2020). The striking characteristics of this species are considered to be interesting (or sometimes ugly) by many people (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 16 | Scientific importance | Is the species vital to current or planned research other than species-specific ecology/biology/conservation within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.) e.g. human medicine, climate change, environmental pollutants and conservation science? |
Research dependent upon species (50%) No research dependent on this species (50%) |
More studies has to be done on their fossorial life, proper distribution and other aspects such as home range size, longevity etc. Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 |
| 17 | Ex situ research | Does conserving this species (or closely related species) in situ depend upon research that can be most easily carried out ex situ? |
No (100%) |
|
| 18 | Ex situ conservation activities | Is any ex situ research or other ex situ conservation action currently in place for this species? (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.) |
No / unlikely (100%) |
|
| 19 | Husbandry analog required | If an ex situ rescue program is recommended for this species, would an analog species be required to develop husbandry protocols first? |
No / unlikely (100%) |
|
| 20 | Husbandry analog | Do the biological and ecological attributes of this species make it suitable for developing husbandry regimes for more threatened related species? i.e. could this species be used in captivity to help to develop husbandry and breeding protocols which could be used for a similar, but more endangered species at a later stage? |
No (100%) |
|
| 21 | Captive breeding | Has this species been successfully bred and/or maintained in captivity? |
Not held in captivity to date (100%) |
Some animals have been held in captivity in India for very short periods, but with no breeding attempted. AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 22 | Conservation education/ecotourism potential | Is the species especially diurnal, active or colourful, or is there an interesting or unusual aspect of its ecology that make it particularly suitable to be an educational ambassador for conservation of the species in the range country, either in zoos or aquariums or within ecotourism activities? |
Yes (100%) |
Because of its evolutionary distinctiveness, uniqueness and endangered status it can be used as an educational ambassador. The adults being fossorial the tadpoles could be considered as an educational ambassador. Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 Potential flagship ranking: 1 (local community), 1 (tourist), 2 (conservation practitioner), (Kanagavel et al. 2017). A special day, called Onam, is related to this species and it is widely celebrated every year in Kerala, India. The jealous Deva’s managed to convince the supreme Gods that Mahabali would be a threat to their supremacy. Mahavishnu, the supreme God at the time approached Mahabali in the disguise of a boy and he begged for three steps of land on which he could live. Mahabali was unaware of the plot against him and the generous king promised to give the boy what he wanted. Then the boy started to grow bigger, into cosmic proportions; he covered all of the earth and skies in two steps he started looking at the king for his third step of land. Realizing that this was no ordinary boy, and to save the world from his third step Mahabali bowed his head and asked Mahavishnu to step on his head. Mahavishnu stepped on him and Mahabali was pushed to paathaalam, the underworld. Moved by the king’s greatness, the supreme God gave him permission to come back from the underworld and visit his disciples once every year. Recently, posters with a purple frog as King Mahabali were created and shared widely through social and print media. The result was overwhelming and the Mahabali Frog slowly started getting popular. Calls were received from different parts of the state about the presence of the species in many areas during the next seasons (May –June 2017-2019) and the story of Mahabali was constantly used in most of the awareness programs and workshops for all class of people, including students to forest department staffs and to local people (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). There is work underway to make this species the State frog of Kerala (Sandeep Das, pers. comm. October 2020). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 23 | Mandate | Is there an existing conservation mandate recommending the ex situ conservation of this taxon? |
No (50%) Yes (50%) |
The Central Zoo Authority of the Ministry of Environmental, Forest and Climate Change of India identifies this taxon as a target amphibian species in 2013 (Gupta 2017). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
| 24 | Range State approval | If an ex situ initiative was proposed for this species, would it be supported (and approved) by the range State (either within the range State or out-of-country ex situ)? |
Yes / probably (100%) |
|
| 25 | Founder specimens | Are sufficient animals of the taxon available or potentially available (from wild or captive sources) to initiate an ex situ program, if one was recommended? |
Unknown (50%) Yes / probably (50%) |
We do not have a population estimate of the species, none available from captive sources Sandeep Das, 30 Sep 2016 |
| 26 | Taxonomic status | Has a complete taxonomic analysis of the species in the wild been carried out, to fully understand the functional unit you wish to conserve (i.e. have species limits been determined)? |
Yes (100%) |
This species has been reported from several additional localities, although these likely refer to undescribed species (S.D. Biju pers. comm.). AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 02 Oct 2020 |
Citation:
Sandeep Das, 2016.
AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop, 2020.
Conservation Needs Assessment for Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis, India.
https://conservationneeds.org/Assessment/AssessmentConsolidated?countryId=146&speciesId=256
Accessed 29 Apr 2025
