The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Signature campaign to save frogs and other amphibians

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Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Signature campaign to save frogs and other amphibians

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

"This is part of a last-ditch effort to save them”

“Around 50% of amphibians may disappear soon”
Booklets, placards and masks to be used to create awareness

— Photo: R Shivaji Rao

FOR A CAUSE: National Green Corps volunteers presenting the signature sheets of the ‘Conservation of Amphibians Campaign’ to Chief Conservator of Forests (Biodiversity) K.S.Neelakantan in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: The National Green Corps volunteers of Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya Model Higher Secondary School, T.Nagar and Balamandram Higher Secondary School, Madurai, carried out a signature campaign on conservation of amphibians. On Monday, a group of students presented the signatures to the Chief Conservator of Forests (Biodiversity) K.S.Neelakantan here.

“This is part of a last-ditch, global attempt to save frogs and other amphibians from extinction. Frogs and other amphibians connect the food chain. The global zoo and wildlife establishment has come together to declare 2008 as Year of the Frog,” said Jessie Jeyakaran, Member of International Zoo Educator Association - South Asia Network.

“Amphibians have lived on earth for over 360 million years but now around 50 per cent of them may disappear soon. Earth is facing the single largest mass extinction. For every one threatened species of bird or mammal, there are around three amphibians nearing extinction,” she added.

“In south Asia the major known threats are habitat loss and climate change. In other parts of the world the chytrid fungus, a deadly amphibian disease is a threat. Even without chytrid fungus, 34 per cent of south Asian amphibians are under threat. More than 25 per cent of amphibians are threatened with extinction in India. In India alone, out of 240 species, 63 are in facing threat,” said Ms.Jessie Jeyakaran.

Habitat protection

The solution focuses primarily on habitat protection of amphibians. Zoo Outreach Organisation and its various networks under the auspices of Amphibian Ark (AArk) has taken initiative to raise awareness among national, state, and local governments, media, schools and civic groups.

“We are expecting two million signatures by this November. We also use information booklets, placards, masks and stickers to create awareness,” said Kannagi Prabakaran, Coordinator, National Green Corps.

“In urban areas frogs are pollution indicators. The tadpoles feed on the mosquito larvae and help in biological control of mosquitoes,” said Mr.Neelakantan. “The habitat loss of frogs happens also on account of indiscriminate dumping of waste in wetlands near urban areas. Waste management is important to address this issue,” he added.

“Rather than implementing stringent statutory provisions we appeal to the conscience of the people to help save the amphibians by conservation of the habitat, he said.

“The new initiative focussing on ‘Landscape Units’ for conservation of habitat in the Western Ghats from Kanyakumari to Theni district with World Bank aid focuses on habitat conservation and people’s livelihood,” he said.

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