Croaking hardly describes the ribbits that add to the soundscape of monsoon evenings in the city. Amphibians, which include frogs, toads, salamanders and newts are a fascinating species. They’re beneficial to the ecosystem, have interesting characteristics and help keep pest populations balanced. But besides that, amphibians are also extremely vulnerable and require a specific moist habitat to survive. A slight change in their living conditions can prove to be fatal for amphibians. Madhumay Mallik, content creator from the communications team at Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), explains, “This is why they are the key indicators of an ecosystem’s health. Any disturbance such as increasing pollution levels in their habitat, and they are the first ones to die.” WTI notes that amphibians have overtaken reptiles as the most threatened taxa in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of species. Mallik continues, “Despite their unmitigated decline, most conservation initiatives are usually focused on mega fauna like tigers, elephants, rhinos and so on. And amphibians, who are unable to adapt to any climatic and environmental change, have somehow been overlooked in that perspective.” 

Pseudo malabaricus