Dancing frogs

October 12, 2023

The dancing frogs that are endemic to the Western Ghats are the most threatened amphibian genus of India, according to the Wildlife Trust of India, which analysed the second edition of the Global Amphibian Assessment released recently.
It is also the fifth most threatened genus in the world with 92 per cent of its species in the threatened category.
Of the 24 species of the frogs belonging to the Micrixalus genus that were assessed, two were found to be critically endangered and 15 were endangered.
Characteristic behaviour- The dancing frogs that are found near the streams do a unique display to mate. The males stretch up their hind legs one at a time and wave their webbed toes in the air in a rapid motion akin to a dance. This act is called “foot flagging” and gives the species their name.
The species prefer habitats in areas with thick canopy cover of at least 70-80 per cent.
Threats- invasive species, land use change, extreme weather, etc