Assessment Results
Raorchestes sushili
Sushil's Bushfrog
Order:
Anura
Family:
Rhacophoridae
Synonym(s):
Philautus sushili, Pseudophilautus sushili
Assessed for:
India
on:
13 Nov 2020
by:
AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop
Authors:
S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli
IUCN Global Red List:
Critically Endangered (CR)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
India
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
14.77601938
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.] | Endangered (EN) | Listed as Endangered because its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 2,074 km2, it occurs in five or fewer threat-defined locations, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat. |
| 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 | |
| 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 occurs in Anamalai Tiger Reserve, with 100% of the population occurring in this area (S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli, pers. comm. November 2020). This Western Ghats species was previously only known from Andiparai Shola, municipality of Valparai in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu state, India, and it is restricted to elevations above 600 m asl (Biju and Bossuyt 2009). It is now also known from many other localities within the central and western portions of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (S.R. Ganesh, pers. comm. November 2020). It is believed to be genuinely restricted given that intensive surveys in neighbouring areas have turned up no additional records (S.D. Biju, pers. comm. 2011), however there is suitable habitat in Parabikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala where this species may occur. It has been found at elevations between 1,000-1,600 m asl (S.R. Ganesh, pers. comm. November 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 | Anamalai Tiger Reserve. |
| 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 Anamalai Tiger Reserve. |
| 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 | Continued and strengthened management of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve 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.? | No | Further surveys in Parabikulam Tiger Reserve are required to confirm presence (S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli, pers. comm. November 2020). Further research on its distribution, life history, and the effects of Bd and climate change are required. |
| 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 unlikely to be reversed in time to prevent further decline / extinction | This species has not been observed in any disturbed habitats to date, and due to the species' large body size its is not thought to be tolerant of a lot of habitat disturbance and loss (S.R. Ganesh, pers. comm. November 2020). The major threat to this species is habitat fragmentation due to small and large-scale tea and cardamom plantations (S.D. Biju pers. comm. May 2011). These plantations are not actively expanding but are well-established within the species range, and the associated pesticide use will be a major threat (S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli, pers. comm. November 2020). Climate change is a potential future threat which may result in the shifting of habitat, and subpopulations that already exist in higher elevations may be lost as they have no habitat to migrate to (S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli, pers. comm. November 2020). Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been found in other species of the genus, so chytridiomycosis may be a potential threat for this species but further research is required (India RLA/CNA workshop, November 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 | |
| 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 | It is considered to be rare (S.D. Biju, pers. comm. December 2010, S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli , pers. comm. November 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 | One of the larger species within the Genus |
| 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? | Yes / probably | Raorchestes beddomii or R. ponmudi could be potential husbandry analogs for this species, if needed (Karthikeyan Vasudevan, pers. comm. December 2020). |
| 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? | No | |
| 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:
S.R. Ganesh and S.R. Chandramouli 2020. Conservation Needs Assessment for Raorchestes sushili, India
(AArk/ASG India Assessment Workshop).
https://www.conservationneeds.org/assessment/5699
Accessed 19 May 2024
