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Assessment Results

 

Phrynobatrachus villiersi

Yapo River Frog, Villiers' Puddle Frog

Order: Anura Family: Phrynobatrachidae
Synonym(s):

Assessed for: Ghana   on: 21 Sep 2021   by: AArk/ASG Ghana Assessment Workshop
Authors: Adum, G., Kouamé, N.G., Ofori-Boateng, C. and Penner, J.
IUCN Global Red List: Least Concern (LC)
National Red List: (not assessed)
Distribution: Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score: 26.74530061
© 2024 LeGrand Nono Gonwouo (1 of 2)

Recommended Conservation Actions:

Additional Comments:

Question # Short Name Question Text Response Comments
1 Extinction risk Current IUCN Red List category. [Data obtained from the IUCN Red List.] Least Concern (LC) Listed as Least Concern due to its wide distribution and presumed large population. However, the population is suspected to be decreasing due to ongoing decline in the quality and extent of the species' habitat and close attention should be paid to this and other forest-dependent species in West Africa.
2 Possibly extinct Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? No / unlikely
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 20 - 50
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? Yes / probably In Ghana it has been recorded from Bia and Kakum National Parks (Hillers et al. 2009). It is also known from Sui River, Krokosua and Bobiri Forest Reserves (Adum et al. 2013) and Ankasa National Park (C. Ofori-Boateng, pers. comm. September 2021).
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 In Ghana, this species was previously known from the south west. It is now also known from Bia National Park and Ankasa National Park (C. Ofori-Boateng, pers. comm. September 2021). Its elevational range is 500-1,000 m asl.
6 Previous reintroductions Have reintroduction or translocation attempts been made in the past for this species? No
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 This species is known from several protected areas.
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 Ongoing and improved management of protected areas is required including forest restoration, enforcement of protected area boundaries, the provision of livelihood alternatives for locals to reducing mining activities, and additional resource provision for the protection of existing protected areas [e.g. equipment such as cars and fuel provision] (G. Adum and J. Penner pers. comm. September 2021). The protection of all remaining forest in the region is also required, as well as the protection of its freshwater habitats (N.G. Kouame, pers. comm., September 2021).
9 In situ research Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? Yes Research is needed on life history (data is still lacking on the reproduction of this species). Research on the species' recovery potential in rubber plantations and on how threats impact on this species (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021).
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 It is a leaf litter species of primary forest, and a few records are available from secondary forest (M.-O. Rödel pers. comm. July 2016). This species is adversely affected throughout its whole range by the loss of forest habitat for agriculture (cacao and rubber plantations), logging, and expanding human settlements (N.G. Kouame, pers. comm. June 2012). Artisanal and large-scale gold mining is also a major threat in Liberia, which is causing forest loss and pollution of streams including areas downstream from the mining areas (J. Penner and G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). Increasing development for human settlements is another threat throughout Ghana (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). The extraction of native Raffia palms may lead to the drying of the enviroment in Bobiri and Ankasa Forest Reserves which may affect the subpopulations in those areas, but further research is required (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). Hill sanctuaries across Ghana were more secure in 2009, but observations since 2016 have confirmed that habitat degradation and loss are now occurring within these areas (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). Multiple threats currently exist in the Sui River Forest Reserve. Large-scale selective logging (both legally and illegally) and deforestation for cacao plantations (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021) - in 2021, the government allowed 15 ha of the 333.9 km² Sui River Forest Reserve to be cleared (G. Adum and J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021). Other threats include the use of agrochemicals, indirectly from gold mining, encroachment due to over-population, wildfires as a result of slash and burn activities and the spread of the invasive weed (Chromolaena odorata), (Ghana RLA/CNA assessment workshop, 2021). Large-scale selective logging is occurring throughout the reserve, which has resulted in areas becoming more accessible and led to a recent increase in illegal commercial logging activities (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021).
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
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 The species is patchily distributed within the appropriate habitat, and probably not very easy to record in Ghana, however, it is small and easy to overlook (J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021). Surveys between 2003-2010 failed to record the species in areas where it is expected to occur, suggesting the population has declined there, possibly due to habitat degradation in the region. It is generally found in smaller numbers than other species in the genus (Ghana RLA/CNA assessment workshop, 2021). Due to ongoing decline in the extent and quality of habitat in this region, the population is suspected to be decreasing (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. June 2012).
13 Action plans Does an Action Plan for the species already exist, or is one currently being developed? No
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.)? No aspect of biology known to be exceptional
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? No
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? No research dependent on this species
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
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
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
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
21 Captive breeding Has this species been successfully bred and/or maintained in captivity? Not held in captivity to date
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 This is a very attractive species (J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021).
23 Mandate Is there an existing conservation mandate recommending the ex situ conservation of this taxon? No
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
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? Yes / probably Considerable effort would be required to collect founders, but it would be possible (Ghana RLA/CNA assessment workshop, 2021).
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

Citation: Adum, G., Kouamé, N.G., Ofori-Boateng, C. and Penner, J. 2021. Conservation Needs Assessment for Phrynobatrachus villiersi, Ghana (AArk/ASG Ghana Assessment Workshop).
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/6922 Accessed 30 Jan 2025