Heard frogs croaking around?
Yes, this year’s monsoon.
Early frogs are out.
Seen a frog?
If you like to know more about these frogs in your surroundings, collaboration between Environment Protection and Study Center (ENPROSC), Companions for Amphibians and Reptiles of Nepal (CARON), Golden Gate International College (GGIC) and Wildlife Conservation in Nepal has brought the campaign called “Croaking Monsoon 2020”.
The concept of citizen science started in 2013 by training graduate and undergraduate students for three days. The selected students among trainees and experts from collaborating institution worked on-field and made the record of seven species (Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799), Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis (Schneider, 1799), Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin, 1802), Limnonectes syhadrensis (Annandale, 1919), Amolops formosus (Günther, 1876), Xenophrys parva (Boulenger, 1893), and Microhyla ornata (Duméril and Bibron, 1841)) in the vicinity of Kathmandu Valley. Find the result in the special bulletin.
After five years, a similar study was replicated in 2018, which reports 10 species from Kathmandu Valley. With additional of Duttaphrynus stomaticus, Nanorana lebigii and Polypedates maculatus in the list.
In 2019, collaboration switched to a wider citizen science initiative. The collaboration was operational in a citizen science-based project to study frogs from the Kathmandu valley and dedicated to surveying the pond based frogs.
Before starting the campaign, the orientation prior to the study was done. The move reported only 7 species among 10 observed in Kathmandu. The 2019 study could not report the occurrence of Amolops formosus, Nanorana lebigii, and Polypedates maculatus.
In 2020, the optimistic collaborative effort has a target to cover the whole nation with citizen science database. Pandemic gives the opportunity of using digital media for orientation through zoom. Though the “Croak for monsoon” targets major data in monsoon, the team also welcomes contributions throughout the year.
The major broad objectives of the campaign are to raise awareness for the conservation of frogs in Nepal and to build a network of citizen scientists and mobilize them to collect photos and habitat details of frogs.
Yes, it is interesting!
Curious! how to participate?
Follow the instructions below:
- The most preferred way is to participate through Kobocollect app. (For android user) and through the link to iOS user
- To get ideas about methods to use Kobocollect follow the instruction in the video below.
- If it is hard to use kobocollect app. you can still follow the link to submit your observation.
- Click the photos of frogs and their habitat, record information about the distance from water holes, settlements, road (paved and unpaved), human trails along with the presence of canopy.
If the app seems another idea
Please forward photo through the email (info.enprosc@gmail.com), or in the inbox of the Facebook page of ENPROSC.
We are expecting to develop enthusiasm in the community towards the frog. The campaign also builds a nationwide network of citizen scientists especially students interested to contribute for herpetology and frogs in particular. We will tell the interesting facts about the distribution of frogs and habitat used by frogs in Nepal.
How will the contributor/citizen scientist benefit?
- This campaign informs participants about species in their backyard
- The ownership of the photos contributed remains with the contributor himself. The owner will be credited with the publications made using photos.
- Based on the level of contribution, the campaign is also open to discuss authorship and other forms of acknowledgment in publications.
- Will be a member of the loose network of like-minded people. And get to interact in the system to learn.
So in the future, this program is supposed to be the annual event, with possibilities of customization in approach and focus.
Save the Frogs
Come, let’s Croak for frogs.
