Me Sahyadri 072016 A

As the economic development has taken the center stage, the balance between the environmental sustenance and socio economic development will be under the scanner. As most experts with balanced views have proclaimed, Indian wildlife and ecological system sustenance will be under threat, unless precautions are taken with the help of appropriate research and long term national interests. As we encounter the economic development, many habitats which indirectly or directly help sustainable development will be damaged. The awareness to gauge the success by sustainable development and not by year to year growth is a distant dream any environmentalist will assume in current scenario.
Western ghats, or Sahyadri as we all call it as, is a treasure trove of spectacular landscapes, biodiversity, flora, fauna, some amazing geological wonders and man made monuments. With the increasing pressure from human encroachment, all these elements are under stress and in turn are under depletion. Western ghats should be left untouched by human beings, to protect their future generations from getting short of resources, such as water, energy and clean air. The important elements of western ghats, which need protection are highlighted in the new version of Photo journal, Me Sahyadri Magazine. The current issue has a brief of frog life and forest, their habitat, from Coorg region of Western Ghats.

10 important aspects about frog are
1) Frogs are indicators of water pollution. The population of frogs is reducing due to water pollution. Water pollution takes place due to use of pesticides and other chemicals.
2) Frogs live in microhabitats within the larger forest habitat. These microhabitats can be streams, rocks, trees, bush, puddles, soil, low foliage. Conservation of every such element within the larger forest habitat is important.
3) Western ghats has many endemic species of frogs. Conservation of western ghats is important for survival of these species.
4) Water pollution, agricultural development, tourism, fungal infections, loss of habitat are the main reasons of reduction in numbers of frogs.
5) Frog is important part of food chain. They feed on insects, mosquitoes.
6) Frogs hibernate most of the time in year during non monsoon period.
7) Most of the frogs in western ghats breed in Monsoon.
8) Many species of frogs in western ghat appear as Threatened as per IUCN red list. The species are protected as per Indian Wildlife act.
9) Govt is spending funds on tigers and lions but not on frogs.
10) Many species of frogs in western ghats are being discovered. The research on the frogs is under progress by various research organizations.

The western ghat in Coorg region in Karnataka has wide array of microhabitats for the frogs. The small bush habitat of coffee plantation is one of these arrays of microhabitats. Though coffee plantation is completely man made habitat, there is also, the natural forest habitat around most of these coffee plantations. There are about 52 species of bush frogs from Raorchestes family in India. This frog genus is under grave threats, mainly due to the habitat degradation caused by the cultivation of coffee, tea, and eucalyptus. The deforestation, agricultural practices and unplanned tourism are the threats to this family of frogs.
One of the bush frogs of the region is Raorchestes anili, commonly known as Anil’s bush frog. The frog is named to respect the scientist Anil Zachariah. It is about 24-29 mm in size. As normally seen, females are larger than male frogs.
This frog is commonly found in shrubs in moist semi-deciduous forests, in roadside shrubs, bamboo, and gardens, even right near the human habitation. These frogs are found 1-2 m above the ground on vegetation and coffee plants. The species breeds by direct development. This species is widely distributed at 1000-1500 m altitude in and around Wayanad District, Kerala State (on either sides of Palakkad gap), in the Western Ghats of India. Raorchestes anili is endemic to Western Ghats, and is rated as least concern as per IUCN red list.
The frog has pointed protruding snout. The flanks and groin of the frog is deep brown with light gray spots. The eye pupil is horizontally oval. Tympanum is round, and is three times the eye diameter.
Males have a median vocal sac. This species begins calling during or immediately after sunset. The dorsum is light brown with irregular deep brown patches. The yellowish-red iris is encircled by a gray ring. The dorsal surfaces of the limbs are light brown with dark brown cross-bands.
The front leg and hing leg digits have discs which help the frog to climb the bushes and small rocks. The front legs do not have any webs. The hind legs have very small webbing between the digits.

The western ghat in Coorg region in Karnataka have wide array of microhabitats for the frogs. The small bush habitat of coffee plantation is one of these arrays of microhabitats. Though coffee plantation is completely man made habitat, there is also, the natural forest habitat around most of these coffee plantations. There are about 52 species of bush frogs from Raorchestes family in India. This frog genus is under grave threats, mainly due to the habitat degradation caused by the cultivation of eucalyptus, coffee and tea plantations. The deforestation, agricultural practices and unplanned tourism are the other threats to this family of frogs. One of the bush frogs of the region is Raorchestes luteolus, commonly known as Yellow bush frog or blue eyed bush frog. It is about 30-34 mm in size. This frog is seen in evergreen shrubs and lower levels of forest trees in moist semideciduous forests. It is endemic to western ghats, and is rated as data defficient as per IUCN red list. The frog is seen mainly in south western ghats north of Palakkad gap. This species has been recorded at Madenadu and near Madikeri in Kodagu District, Karnataka. It has also been recorded from Malleshwaram in Kudrumukh in Chikmagalur District. All these records are from the Western Ghats of the southern part of Karnataka State, India. The altitudinal range of this species is 920-1120 meter above sea level. The frog is yellow in color with light brown specks uniformly granular in texture and usually has four to six faint discontinuous stripes running from snout to vent in dorsal region. Iris in the eye of this frog is golden yellow with blue outer ring. The frog has pointed snout. The flank and belly of the frog is deep granular. The front leg and hing leg digits have discs which help the frog to climb the bushes and small rocks. The front legs do not have any webs. The hind legs have very small webbing between the digits. Males are yellow during breeding season and cream in the non-breeding season. Males have a median vocal sac. This species begins calling during or immediately after sunset.

The western ghat in Coorg region in Karnataka have wide array of microhabitats for the frogs. The small bush habitat of coffee plantation is one of these arrays of microhabitats. Though coffee plantation is completely man-made habitat, there is also, the natural forest habitat around most of these coffee plantations. There are about 52 species of bush frogs from Raorchestes family in India. This frog genus is under grave threats, mainly due to the habitat degradation caused by the cultivation of eucalyptus, coffee and tea plantations. The deforestation, agricultural practices and unplanned tourism are the other threats to this family of frogs.
One of the bush frogs of the region is Raorchestes glandulosus, commonly known as glandular bush frog, rough-skinned bush frog, southern bubble-nest frog. It is about 22-27 mm in size. Raorchestes glandulosus is nocturnal, arboreal species, usually found in higher that 4 meter above the ground. This frog is seen in understorey of tropical moist forest. It is endemic to western ghats, and is rated as vulnerable as per IUCN red list. The frog is seen mainly in south western ghats on north side of Palakkad gap.
The frog has yellow dorsal surface. The front leg and hind leg digits have discs which help the frog to climb the bushes and trees. The front legs do not have any webs. The hind legs have very small webbing between the digits. As the frog has several morphs with various coloration.
This Indian species has been recorded from the Nilgiris, Anamalai Hills, and Agasthyamala Hill ranges, Kudremukh National Park, and from several localities in Maharashtra State. It has an altitudinal range of between 400 and 2,000m above seal level.

The western ghat in Coorg region in Karnataka have wide array of microhabitats for the frogs. The small bush habitat of coffee plantation is one of these arrays of microhabitats. Though coffee plantation is completely man-made habitat, there is also, the natural forest habitat around most of these coffee plantations. There are about 52 species of bush frogs from Raorchestes family in India. This frog genus is under grave threats, mainly due to the habitat degradation caused by the cultivation of eucalyptus, coffee and tea plantations. The deforestation, agricultural practices and unplanned tourism are the other threats to this family of frogs.
One of the bush frogs of the region is Raorchestes ponmudi, commonly known as Ponmudi Bush frog. The frog is named after the Ponmudi hill. It is about 39-43 mm in size. As seem normally, female is larger in size as compared to the male. This frog is seen in evergreen shrubs and higher levels of forest trees in moist semi-deciduous forests. This species is known from a patch of evergreen forest surrounded by grassland. It breeds by direct development.
It is endemic to western ghats, and is rated as critically endangered as per IUCN red list. This species is known only from the type locality at 1,000 m above sea level on Ponmudi Hill, part of the Agasthyamala Hill range in the Western Ghats of India.
The frog is mainly light gray yellow in color with two black strips starting from behind the eyes till vent. Iris in the eye of this frog is golden brown with silver white outer ring. The frog has rounded snout. The flank and belly of the frog is granular. The thighs are a light chocolate brown and are vermiculated with gray patches that differ in size. Between the eyes, there is a light brown triangle which extends to the upper eyelid. The snout, loreal region, and tympanic region are all light brown, with dark gray upper eyelids.
The front leg and hind leg digits have discs which help the frog to climb the bushes and trees. The front legs do not have any webs. The hind legs have very small webbing between the digits. The forelimbs have dark brown spots and are light brown, and the hind limbs are light brown with gray cross bands. The posterior of the thigh is light chocolate brown and is vermiculated with patches of grey.

The western ghat in Coorg region in Karnataka have wide array of microhabitats for the frogs. The small bush habitat of coffee plantation is one of these arrays of microhabitats. Though coffee plantation is completely man-made habitat, there is also, the natural forest habitat around most of these coffee plantations. There are about 52 species of bush frogs from Raorchestes family in India. This frog genus is under grave threats, mainly due to the habitat degradation caused by the cultivation of eucalyptus, coffee and tea plantations. The deforestation, agricultural practices and unplanned tourism are the other threats to this family of frogs.
One of the medium sized bush frogs of the region is Raorchestes chromasynchysi, commonly known as confusing green Bush frog. It is about 27-30 mm in size. This frog is seen in evergreen shrubs in moist semi-deciduous forests. It is endemic to western ghats, and is rated as vulnerable as per IUCN red list.
The frog is seen mainly in south western ghats on north side of Palakkad gap. It occurs in shola forests Shola forest is a type of high-altitude evergreen forest formed by shrubs and small trees found only in the southern portion of the Western Ghats. It is also recorded in medium-level wet evergreen forests in Coorg, as well as in coffee and cardamom plantations adjacent to forested areas in Honey Valley Estate and Talakaveri. During monsoon individuals can be found either on the ground under leaf litter or on leaves about one meter above the ground in forest patches. It is thought to be a forest-dwelling species highly sensitive to noise disturbance.
The frog is mainly brownish gray or sometimes yellowish or greenish in color with granular spinules. The frog has pointed snout. The flank and groin of the frog has granular pattern. The front leg and hind leg digits have discs which help the frog to climb the bushes and trees. The front legs do not have any webs. The hind legs have very small webbing between the digits. As the frog has several morphs with various coloration, it is called as confusing colored frog. The frog has distinct tympanum.

The western ghat in Coorg region in Karnataka have wide array of microhabitats for the frogs. The small bush habitat of coffee plantation is one of these arrays of microhabitats. Though coffee plantation is completely man-made habitat, there is also, the natural forest habitat around most of these coffee plantations. There are about 52 species of bush frogs from Raorchestes family in India. This frog genus is under grave threats, mainly due to the habitat degradation caused by the cultivation of eucalyptus, coffee and tea plantations. The deforestation, agricultural practices and unplanned tourism are the other threats to this family of frogs.
One of the small bush frogs of the region is Raorchestes tuberehumerus, commonly known as Knob-handed Bush frog. It is about 22-24 mm in size. This frog is seen in evergreen shrubs in moist semi-deciduous forests. It is endemic to western ghats, and is rated as data deficient as per IUCN red list.
The frog is seen mainly in south western ghats on north side of Palakad gap. This species has been recorded at Kirundadu, near Madikeri, in Kodagu District, and also from Malleshwaram in Kudrumukh in Chikmagalur District in Karnataka. These locations are in the Western Ghats of the southern part of Karnataka State, India. It has been recorded at altitudes between 920 and 940m above sea level.
The frog is mainly brownish gray in color with spinular projections. Iris in the eye of this frog is golden brown. The frog has sub-elliptical snout. The flank and groin of the frog has yellow patches on brown background. The front leg and hind leg digits have discs which help the frog to climb the bushes and trees. The front legs do not have any webs. The hind legs have very small webbing between the digits. The frog has projection on humerus bone near front legs, and hence it is called as knob-handed bush frog.

The western ghat in Coorg region in Karnataka have wide array of microhabitats for the frogs. The small bush habitat of coffee plantation is one of these arrays of microhabitats. Though coffee plantation is completely man-made habitat, there is also, the natural forest habitat around most of these coffee plantations. There are about 52 species of bush frogs from Raorchestes family in India. This frog genus is under grave threats, mainly due to the habitat degradation caused by the cultivation of eucalyptus, coffee and tea plantations. The deforestation, agricultural practices and unplanned tourism are the other threats to this family of frogs.
One of the bush frogs of the region is Raorchestes charius, commonly known as Seshachar’s bush frog. Raorchestes charius is, arboreal species, usually occurring in tropical moist evergreen forest, though it may also be found in secondary forest close to primary forest edge. It is believed to breed by direct development. It is often found in leaf litter.
It is endemic to western ghats, and is rated as endangered as per IUCN red list. The frog is seen mainly in south western ghats on north side of Palakkad gap. This species is recorded at Chikmalagur in Karnataka State, in the southern Western Ghats of India. The altitudinal range is between 800 and 1,200m above sea level.
The frog has yellow dorsal surface. The front leg and hind leg digits have discs which help the frog to climb the bushes and trees. The front legs do not have any webs. The hind legs have very small webbing between the digits. As the frog has several morphs with various coloration.