ENP emerges as a thriving habitat for endangered frog

 

The Hindu Bureau, 

IDUKKI, September 10, 2026

A recent comprehensive amphibian and reptile survey across the protected areas of the Munnar Wildlife Division found that Eravikulam National Park (ENP) near Munnar in Idukki has emerged as a thriving habitat for the endangered Resplendent Shrub Frog, a species acutely vulnerable to climate change. According to officials, the survey recorded a healthy population of the frog, which is endemic to the Munnar region.

Herpetologist Sandeep Das said that over 1,938 Resplendent Shrub Frog encounters were recorded in ENP during the survey. “The healthy population of this frog emphasises that this habitat represents the final survival stronghold for the species,” said Dr. Das. “The frog was first found in Anamudi and later in the grasslands of Meesapulimala and Eravikulam National Park. Normally, cold-climate-adapted frogs move to higher elevations as temperatures rise. But these frogs already live at the highest elevations, and these areas are their only habitat. Destroying these habitats would lead to their extinction.”

He added that the robust population highlights the urgent need to protect the high-altitude grasslands across ENP and greater Munnar.

Eco-restoration projects

The survey also highlighted the success of eco-restoration projects conducted in the Shola National Parks, which have led to the return of several native species. Munnar Wildlife Warden K.V. Harikrishnan noted that restoring grassland habitats has driven a notable comeback of species such as the Anamalai Spiny Lizard, Kodaikanal Bush Frog, and Shola Night Frog, serving as a compelling indicator of ecological recovery.

The four-day survey ran from September 3 to 6 across protected areas under the Munnar Wildlife Division, including Eravikulam, Anamudi Shola, Pampadum Shola, and Mathikettan Shola National Parks, as well as the Kurinjimala Sanctuary.

In total, researchers documented 54 amphibian and 52 reptile species. “According to the IUCN Red List, 19 species categorised as endangered — such as the Resplendent Shrub Frog, Yellow-eyed Reed Frog, Anamalai Gliding Frog, Toad-skinned Leaping Frog, and Shola Night Frog — were recorded during this survey, along with 10 vulnerable species (like the Galaxy Frog) and seven near threatened species (such as the Purple Frog),” said ENP Assistant Wildlife Warden Nizam. A.

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New lichen species discovered in Mathikettan Shola National Park

 

Sandeep Vellaram, 

IDUKKI September 9 2026

Researchers have discovered a new species of lichen, Buellia maharajensis, in Mathikettan Shola National Park. This marks the fourth lichen variety discovered within the park, situated near Santhanpara in Idukki.

A five-member team made the discovery during a lichen diversity survey, and their findings were recently published in international journal Taiwania.

At elevation of 1,351 m

The newly discovered species is a saxicolous lichen that grows directly on rock surfaces and was recorded at an elevation of approximately 1,351 m.

The study was co-authored by Stephen Sequeira, retired associate professor, alongside senior research fellow Aswathi Anilkumar and research fellow Arun Christy associated with the Lichenology laboratory at the Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. The team also included Siljo Joseph of the KSCSTE–Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), as well as Sanjeeva Nayaka and Roshinikumar Ngangom from the CSIR–National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow.

Lichen hub

Dr. Sequeira noted that Mathikettan Shola is recognised as a lichen hub. During Ms. Aswathi’s field research, around 250 lichen species were documented in the park. “Around 60 species were recorded for the first time in Kerala, alongside 15 new records for India. Our team had previously discovered three other new species here,” he said.

“Lichens are typically found in undisturbed forest ecosystems. Since Mathikettan Shola was declared a protected area, lichen growth has expanded significantly. Undisturbed habitats play a vital role in conserving these organisms,” Dr. Sequeira added.

He noted that Buellia maharajensis was named in honour of Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary. “The study highlights the college’s contribution to biodiversity research, taxonomy, and scientific exploration. The specific epithet maharajensis was chosen as a tribute to the institution’s long-standing academic legacy,” he explained.

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‘Tourism, infra growth threaten Neelakurinji’

 

The Hindu Bureau, 

KOCHI, april 25, 2026

The Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Kerala, has submitted a report before the National Green Tribunal stating that Strobilanthes kunthiana, popularly known as Neelakurinji, an endemic shrub seen in the Western Ghats, is under threat from factors that include unregulated tourism and infrastructure expansion.

The Principal Bench of the tribunal in New Delhi had taken suo motu cognisance of the report “Neelkurinji becomes a ‘threatened species’, officially” published in The Hindu. It had directed authorities of the JNTBGRI to submit a report on the status and conservation of the purplish flowering shrub, which blooms once in 12 years.

The affidavit dated April 8 stated that infrastructure expansion, including road development and unregulated tourism, had significantly contributed to habitat degradation and fragmentation of Neelakurinji. These activities not only reduce the habitat extent, but also disrupt critical ecological processes such as pollination, seed dispersal and natural regeneration, it said.

Fire management

While traditional controlled burning by indigenous communities played a vital ecological role in maintaining grassland structure and promoting regeneration, inappropriate fire regimes in terms of frequency and intensity will adversely affect the semelparous life cycle (flowering once in 12 years) and synchronised flowering dynamics, it said.

The report said that tourism pressure, particularly during mass flowering events, has emerged as an additional stress factor. Unregulated visitor influx leads to trampling and waste accumulation resulting in further habitat degradation, and interference with the natural regeneration processes.

Action plan

The institute has proposed the preparation and implementation of a species-specific conservation action plan, integrating life-cycle biology and habitat requirements. Other suggestions include setting up long-term ecological monitoring plots across all major landscapes to assess population dynamics and regeneration success; restoration of degraded montane grasslands through phased removal of invasive species and reintroduction of native flora; and regulation of tourism through carrying capacity assessment, and strict enforcement.

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Crab in Silent Valley found displayingboth male and female biological traits

 Aathira Haridas KOCHI, The Hindu

A tiny crab displaying both male and female biological traits on the same body has been discovered in the Western Ghats. Discovered from the forests of the Silent Valley National Park, this freshwater crab belongs to the species Vela carli and is both male and female at the same time. The dual-sex condition was observed in three crabs found in tree holes in Silent Valley.

Vela carli is an endemic freshwater crab found only in the forests and streams of the Central Western Ghats.

The study documents the first instance of gynandromorphy (a rare condition in which individuals exhibit both male and female characteristics) in Vela carli. This phenomenon is rare in crustaceans and has never before been reported in the freshwater crab family Gecarcinucidae, according to the researchers.

The study was carried out by K.S. Anoop Das and K.T. Fahis from the Centre for Conservation Ecology, MES Mampad College, in collaboration with scientist and crab specialist Sameer K. Pati and Purnima Kumari from the Zoological Survey of India.

Their findings were recently published in the international journal Crustaceana.

Mr. Das, Head and Assistant Professor at the Centre, said that while gynandromorphy has been documented in several marine and freshwater crab families, it has not been reported in the family Gecarcinucidae.

“The bodies of the crabs displayed male reproductive structures, while other parts showcased female features, including gonopores,” said Mr. Das.

According to him, the likely cause for this gynandromorphism could only be from intrinsic developmental processes rather than external environmental pollution.

“The crab’s habitat was free from environmental pollutants. So we think that the reason for the phenomenon could be related to survival tactics. This makes it possible for the crab to procreate in the absence of male or female members,” said Mr. Das.

The specimens were collected during biodiversity surveys conducted in the forest. Among the more than 120 crabs examined, only three crabs showed this dual-sex condition.

The study was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Science and Engineering Research Board (presently Anusandhan National Research Foundation).

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New earthworm species at Vazhani addsto Western Ghats’ rich biodiversity

 

Sam Paul A. 

Kozhikode, the hindu

A team of researchers has identified a new earthworm species from the Vazhani dam area of the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary in Thrissur.

Belonging to the genus Drawida, which is naturally restricted to the south, southeast and east asian region, and the family Moniligastridae, the earthworm has been named Drawida vazhania. The discovery has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.

According to the researchers involved in the discovery, Rajendran Menon Ardra of the Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology under the Department of Zoology, Christ College, Irinjalakuda, and S. Prasanth Narayanan of Advanced Centre of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, D. vazhania, with small body size, is a member of the Barwelli species group.

With the description of the new species, the group now comprises seven species. D. vazhania can be easily differentiated from other members of the Barwelli group by the presence of a grooved male genital field, a kidney or bean-shaped prostate, a narrow tubular C-shaped prostatic capsule and a distinct small sessile atrium on the body wall.

India is one of the most earthworm diverse countries in the world, with about 71% of genera and 89% of species endemic to the country. The highest diversity of earthworms in India is found in the Western Ghats and the west coast plains, which together account for roughly 58.4% of all known earthworm species in the country. With the new finding, the total number of Drawida species reported from India and the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot has risen to 83 and 55 respectively, the researchers said. Among the Western Ghats States, Kerala has the highest number of Drawida species, with 31 recorded so far, including 16 endemic to the State.

Mr. Narayanan said the main issues directly affecting earthworms in the Western Ghats are habitat destruction and transformation. “Kerala’s midlands and coastal lowlands have almost entirely lost their forest cover due to several human activities that have existed since time immemorial. There is practically no remaining protected land in the State’s midlands, except for a few areas of forest cover in the districts of Thrissur, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta,” he said. Other members of the research team include P. Sunil Kumar, A.V. Sudhikumar and A.P. Thomas.

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Despite nesting decline, Wayanad’s vultures still soar

 

ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA, 

WAYANAD, The Hindu, February 27, 2026

The vulture population in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the only place in Kerala where these large scavenger birds are found, has remained stable in recent years, thanks to the region’s healthy ecosystem. Although breeding has declined, experts say there is no immediate cause for concern.

In the latest counts, around 80 vultures were recorded in the sanctuary. On rare occasions, nearly 70 vultures were seen feeding on a single carcass, demonstrating the vitality of Wayanad’s ecosystem. Carcasses in the swampy grasslands, locally known as vayals, often attract two dozen vultures at a time.

Vultures are obligate aerial scavengers, feeding primarily on carcasses and helping prevent the spread of diseases in wildlife. “Unlike other forests in the State, Wayanad’s forests are less dense and have more grasslands or vayals,” said Varun Dalia, Warden of the sanctuary, explaining why the region is a haven for the winged scavengers.

There are nearly 170 vayals of varying sizes in Wayanad, which forest officials describe as the “dining table” of herbivores. Rich in grasses and aquatic plants, these grasslands are a vital food source for deer, wild gaur, elephants and wild boars, which in turn support predators and scavengers in the forest ecosystem.

Vultures also serve as important indicators of forest health. The white-rumped vulture is the most common species in Wayanad, while red-headed and Indian vultures are also present. Migratory of species such as the Himalayan griffon, cinereous and Egyptian vultures are occasionally spotted.

C.K. Vishnudas, director of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology, who has monitored vultures in the Nilgiri biosphere reserve for many years, said the absence of toxic drugs like diclofenac and aceclofenac has helped maintain vulture populations in protected areas such as Wayanad, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Satyamangalam and Mudumalai.

‘No cause for concern’

“It is true that vulture breeding has declined in Wayanad, but that is not a cause for concern. Vulture nests are still abundant in Mudumalai,” he said, pointing out that the reasons for the drop in Wayanad need further study.

Rahul Raveendran, wildlife assistant at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, suggested that human activity and the spread of invasive plants may be contributing to the disappearance of vulture nests. “We used to find nests at sites such as Ayyappanpara, Kazhukankolli and Kaithallam, but no longer,” he said.

Human disturbances can disrupt vulture breeding, while invasive species like Senna threaten the growth of native trees, further impacting nesting and foraging habitats.

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Four new grasshopper species found in Kole wetlands

The Hindu, THRISSUR: A scientific study conducted at the Kole wetlands, a Ramsar-listed ecosystem in Kerala, has documented a total of 12 species of pygmy grasshoppers. Of them, four species are new records for the State.

The research was carried out by scientists from the Shadpada Entomology Research Lab (SERL), Christ College, Irinjalakuda. Significantly, the study also reports two genera — Thoradonta and Tetrix — for the first time from Kerala.

The Kole wetlands are widely recognised as a major birding destination, supporting large populations of resident and migratory birds.

The new findings underline the ecological importance of this wetland system in sustaining lesser-known and often overlooked insect groups, in addition to its well-documented avifaunal diversity, said Bijoy C., research supervisor and assistant professor. Pygmy grasshoppers are small, ground-dwelling insects typically associated with moist habitats.

Newly recorded species

The four species newly recorded from Kerala are Thoradonta spiculoba, Tetrix arcunotus, Hedotettix lineifera and Hedotettix attenuatus. The study was conducted by Thasnim E.S., research scholar; Dr. Bijoy C., research supervisor and Assistant Professor; and Dhaneesh Bhaskar, regional vice-chair (Asia), IUCN SSC Grasshopper Specialist Group, Care Earth Trust, Chennai.

The findings have been published in the Journal of Orthoptera Research, an international peer-reviewed journal.

The research was supported by financial assistance from the University Grants Commission (UGC).

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