Assessment Results
Phrynobatrachus annulatus
Ringed River Frog, Ringed 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
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.] | Near Threatened (NT) | Previously listed as Least Concern, but likely now to be Near Threatened (Ghana RLA/CNA assessment workshop, 2021). |
| 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? | No / unlikely | This species has been recorded from the Draw River, Krokosua, Suhuma and Boi Tano Forest Reserves in Ghana (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021) Its is also known from the Sui River Forest Reserve, however it is not very abundant (G. Adum, pers. comm., 2021). It has recently been found in 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? | No / unlikely | This species has been recorded from the Draw River, Sui River, Krokosua, Suhuma and Boi Tano Forest Reserves in Ghana (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). It has also recently been found in Ankasa National Park in 2021, and "French Man" forest within 5 km of the boundary of Ankasa National Park (C. Ofori-Boateng et al., pers. comm. September 2021). This species is found in primary forest close to inselbergs, and these areas are declining due to mining and other threats in the forests (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). It was found in good numbers in Ebi Shelterbelt Forest Reserve in 2007 however in 2009 the area had been cleared for food crops and the species had disappeared (C. Ofori-Boateng, pers. comm. September 2021). |
| 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 | The species is known from a number of 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 | More information is needed on this species' distribution, population status, natural history and the effect of threats on population decline. |
| 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 | All specimens have been found in primary forest close to inselbergs in leaf-litter and this species does not seem to be tolerant to disturbance as it is only found in good forest (N.G. Kouamé pers. comm. June 2012). A single individual has been observed in a cocoa plantation in the buffer zone of the forest in the Sui River Forest Reserve (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). This species is affected by the loss of its primary forest habitat for agriculture (rubber and cacao plantations), logging and human settlements. The use of pesticides in agriculture is another potential threat to this species. Local mining activities, and potentially larger-scale mining in the future in Ghana are also a threat, as it causes forest loss and pollution of streams including areas downstream from the mining areas (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). It was found in good numbers in Ebi Shelterbelt Forest Reserve in 2007 however in 2009 the area had been cleared for food crops and the species had disappeared (C. Ofori-Boateng, 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, 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 was originally thought to be abundant, but since 2015 it has not been found in good numbers in the Sui River Forest Reserve (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). It is difficult to know the correct climatic conditions (which are frequently changing in West Africa) when this species is best observed, and so the abundance probably fluctuates (J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021). Due to ongoing decline in the extent and quality of habitat, the population is suspected to be decreasing. |
| 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? | Unknown | Very little is known about the breeding biology of this species (J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021). |
| 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 | Very little is known of this species' reproductive biology (J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021). |
| 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 | Although numbers are high enough in the wild, collecting sufficient founders would require considerable effort (J. Penner, pers. comm., September 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 annulatus, Ghana
(AArk/ASG Ghana Assessment Workshop).
https://www.conservationneeds.org/assessment/6920
Accessed 20 May 2024
