Assessment Results
Raorchestes beddomii
Beddome's Bush Frog
Order:
Anura
Family:
Rhacophoridae
Synonym(s):
Ixalus beddomii, Philautus beddomii, Pseudophilautus beddomii
Assessed for:
India
on:
07 Oct 2020
by:
AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop
Authors:
K.P. Rajkumar, Nikhil Modak, S.R. Chandramouli, S.R. Ganesh and Robin Suyesh
IUCN Global Red List:
Near Threatened (NT)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
India
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
21.29108924
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) | New information has been found relating to the distribution of this species and its adaptability to disturbed habitats, expanding its known range and confirming threats are mostly local. This has resulted in a non-genuine downlisting. |
| 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 | This species is restricted to the hill ranges south of Palghat Gap in the southern Western Ghats of India. It occurs in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in India. In Kerala, it is known from Agasthyamalai Hills and Munnar, in Tamil Nadu from Kannikatti (Biju and Bossuyt 2009), Cardamom Hills in Theni and Virudunagar districts (Chandramouli and Ganesh 2010), and Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary (Srinivas and Bhupathy 2013, Chaitanya et al. 2018). The type specimen was collected at Athirumala in the state of Kerala, at around 1,250 m asl (Günther 1876). It is also present in Ponkalappara (Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary), Pandimotta (Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary), Pandipath (Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary), Chinnapullu (Thenmala Forest Division), Devarmala, Achenkovil, Upper Manalar and Eravngalar (Periyar Tiger Reserve), and Mathikettan Shola National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park, Pampadum Shola National Park, Kurinjimala Wildlife Sanctuary, Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Valparai (Rajkumar K.P., pers. comm. October 2020). Nikhil Modak et al. also reported this species from Bonaccaud-Pandipath Trail, in Tamil Nadu State. It likely occurs between its known localities, however, it is thought to be restricted to its known range (India RLA/CNA workshop October 2020). Specimens previously reported from northern Kerala belong to Philautus glandulosus (S.D. Biju, pers. comm.). This species has been erroneously reported from Karnataka from Kudremukh National Park by Krishnamurthy (2003). It ranges between 1,200-1,780 m asl (S.R. Chandramouli and S.R. Ganesh 2010, S.R. Chandramouli and S.R. Ganesh, pers. comm. October 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 | Valparai Akkamalai in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (Rajkumar K.P., pers. comm. October 2020). |
| 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 found in a number of protected areas (Rajkumar K.P., pers. comm. October 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 | The education of tourists to reduce littering and species disturbance behaviours is required. |
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? | Yes | Further research is required on its distribution, and the effects of climate change and Bd. Population monitoring is recommended, particularly in altered landscapes (S.R. Ganesh, pers. comm. October 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? | Species does not require conservation action at this time | It has also been found near a building within a forest and in a cardamon plantation (Chandramouli and Ganesh 2010), and inside houses, in gardens, and in open grasslands (Robin Suyesh, S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli, pers. comm. October 2020). This species is considered to be fairly adaptable and widespread in comparison to other taxa in the genus, although restricted to a narrow high elevational band. However, it is unlikely to be majorly threatened by habitat loss and modification currently occurring within its range (India RLA/CNA workshop October 202). Road mortalities may be a problem at the local level. Landslides are a threat to the subpopulations occurring in Munnar (Rajkumar K.P., and S.R. Ganesh, pers. comm. October 2020). In Kerala, in the Athirumala area within Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, a mass pilgrimage of millions of people occurs on an annual basis involving hundreds of people per day during the duration of a month (Jan-Mar), which causes littering and species disturbance (India RLA/CNA workshop October 2020). Climate change is a potential future threat, and may cause habitat shifting, which may result in the loss of subpopulations in higher elevations with no available habitat for it to migrate to (India RLA/CNA India Workshop October 2020). The chytrid disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a threat to this taxon, with one Bd positive animal found (Molur et al. 2015). |
| 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 | This species is common where it occurs. It is also very common in tea plantations (India RLA/CNA workshop, October 2020). There is some localised habitat loss that may be causing some declines, however the population is considered to be relatively stable (India RLA/CNA workshop, October 2020). |
| 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 | Red eyes are a distinctive feature to subpopulations south of the Shencottah Gap not found in other subpopulations in other parts of its range (India RLA/CNA Workshop October 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 | Used as medicine for coughs, as general medicine for children and as amulets for children who do not speak or walk well (Kanagavel et al. 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? | 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? | Yes | This would make a good husbandry analog for Raorchestes crustai (India RLA/CNA workshop, 2020) and R. griet, R. dubois, R. munnarensis (S.R. Ganesh, pers. comm. 2020) |
| 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 | Red eyes and green body color in the southern population. |
| 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 | |
| 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:
K.P. Rajkumar, Nikhil Modak, S.R. Chandramouli, S.R. Ganesh and Robin Suyesh 2020. Conservation Needs Assessment for Raorchestes beddomii, India
(AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop).
https://www.conservationneeds.org/assessment/5655
Accessed 20 May 2024
