Monsoon Croaks Bioblitz: Protecting Kerala’s Frog Species

Why in the News?

The Centre for Citizen Science and Biodiversity Informatics, Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), has organised the event “Monsoon Croaks Bioblitz 2024”.

About Monsoon Croaks Bioblitz, 2024:

This program aims to document Kerala’s frog species during the monsoon season.
Objective: Cultivate scientific curiosity among the public and raise awareness about frog conservation through social media platforms, such as posters and articles.
- Bioblitz Definition: It’s an intensive survey conducted over time to identify and document as many species as possible within a designated area, a popular participatory survey method globally.

Project Details:

Participation: People of all ages can contribute by uploading frog photographs and sounds via the iNaturalist app.
Data Utilization: Scientific observations collected during the bioblits will contribute to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), facilitating biodiversity awareness, habitat conservation, and climate change research.

Need for such an event

Monsoon heralds a festive season for frogs, marking their peak activity and breeding period.
However, the survival of frogs, crucial indicators of ecosystem health, faces threats from climate change, habitat loss, and water pollution.
As a result, 41% of the world’s frog species are on the IUCN Red List of endangered species, including those in Kerala.

Results of 2023:

In 2023, KFRI conducted the Monsoon Croaks project, witnessing enthusiastic participation from citizens across Kerala.
Highlights: Around 200 citizen scientists uploaded 1,223 observations, identifying approximately 80 amphibian species, including those listed on the IUCN Red List.
Notable Species: The top most observed species is the Wayanad Bush Frog (Pseudophilautus wynaadensis).
- Following closely is the Asian Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus).
- Other important amphibian species recorded in the bioblitz include:
- Critically Endangered Resplendent Shrub frog (Raorchestes resplendens).
- Endangered Malabar Torrent Toad (Blaira ornata).
- Small Tree Frog (Rhacophorus lateralis).
- Vulnerable Anaimalai Flying Frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus).
- Near Threatened Purple Frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis).

Back2Basics: Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

	Details
Purpose	To provide free and open access to biodiversity data for research, conservation, and sustainable development
Establishment	Established in 2001
Headquarters	Copenhagen, Denmark
Members	Over 40 countries and economies, including government agencies, museums, research institutions, and NGOs
Mission	Facilitate the digitisation and mobilization of biodiversity data, making it accessible and usable for scientific research and policy-making
Core Functions	Promote and facilitate collaboration and data sharing among members Develop standards and tools for data mobilisation, quality, and interoperability Provide technical infrastructure for publishing, indexing, and accessing biodiversity data
Data Availability	GBIF provides access to over 2 billion occurrence records of species worldwide, contributed by thousands of data publishers
Legal Framework	GBIF operates under an intergovernmental treaty, the GBIF Agreement, and is governed by its members through an annual Governing Board
Funding	Funding for GBIF comes from member countries and economies, as well as international organizations and private sector partners
Contributions to Science and Policy	Contributes to global assessments such as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Supports the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other international initiatives related to biodiversity conservation

PYQ:

[2015] With reference to an organization known as ‘Birdlife International’ which of the following statements is/are correct?

It is a Global Partnership of Conservation Organizations.
The concept of ‘biodiversity hotspots’ originated from this organization.
It identifies the sites known/referred to as ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3