amphibian

Why are amphibians and reptiles sometimes grouped together?

Despite being vastly unrelated, amphibians and reptiles are commonly referred to as herpetofauna, which means creeping animals. They have therefore been grouped under the field of study called Herpetology and are often subject to the same research studies and conservation initiatives.

Why should we conserve amphibians and reptiles?

Amphibians have been around for 350 million years and have successfully inhabited most parts of the world (except where it is too cold or isolated islands – frogs cannot fly or survive salty water to reach these!). Their dependence on freshwater means they are good indicator species. If frog numbers decline in an ecosystem where they would naturally occur, it is a sign that our most precious resource – freshwater – is in trouble. Healthy Frogs = Healthy Humans.

Amphibians are also a critical link in the food chain – they are a key ‘pest’ controller, as most frogs eat millions of insects. As such, they are important for safeguarding our food sources and controlling harmful insects like mosquitos and flies, protecting us from diseases and ensuring our food security. Amphibians are also an important food source for many other animals, including birds, reptiles, and even humans. The disappearance of this central link in ecosystems will have far-reaching negative consequences.

The glands in amphibian skin produce substances that protect frogs against disease and deter predators. Investigating the antimicrobial properties of amphibian skin glands has resulted in many medical and pharmaceutical applications.

Reptiles are also sensitive to their environment and play a role as indicator species. Some skin excretions, toxins, and venoms produced by reptiles are also used in human medicine. For example, certain types of snake venom are used to create anti-coagulants that work to treat victims of strokes and heart attacks.

Social change and outreach

We provide education and training and promote other awareness campaigns to educate the public on the threats facing amphibians and reptiles and why they must be conserved.

Frogs in the classroom

The Frogs in the Classroom series has been adapted for online learning, where students or educators can view the learning programme on YouTube. The lessons include frog Anatomy, Habitats, and Threats and Conservation and have been viewed over 450 times.

We use various tools to measure levels of change within communities resulting from our programme activities. For example, one way to measure knowledge gain is to administer assessments to participants before and after learning interventions are applied and compare these results. Overall, our learning programmes have shown an above-average transfer of knowledge.

Amphibian Learning Programme

An accredited course for school-leavers

Leap Day for Frogs

We host events and campaigns in February each year to celebrate Leap Day for Frogs. The campaigns aim to raise awareness about frogs, their threats, why they should be conserved, and what people can do to contribute to frog conservation.

A Tale of Two Leopards

In 2021 we started a partnership with the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) on a project entitled “A Tale of two Leopards”, looking at the Endangered Western Leopard Toad (WLT) and the Cape Leopard, particularly in the Overberg region of the Western Cape. Leopards and WLTs find themselves in an increasingly urbanised environment and must navigate through this transformed landscape, including crossing roads. We launched the ‘Spotted on the Road’ campaign to raise awareness about wildlife on roads in the Overberg.

Improving the conservation status of the Pickersgill’s Reed Frog

Pickersgill’s Reed Frog (PRF) (Hyperolius pickersgilli) was considered Critically Endangered in 2010. This species has been down-listed to Endangered through a collaborative effort guided by a conservation action plan. Through ongoing surveys, we now know that the species occurs in 49 sites covering 1,660 hectares, a notable increase in the number of known sites since 2008, when the species was known from only ten places. We monitor several of these sites and have thousands of hours of sound recording to assess changes in population dynamics and to detect previously unknown populations. We also monitor the health of these wetland systems over time.

We are a Community Cinema partner of the Nature Environment Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF), which has provided us with an excellent avenue to screen environmental documentaries at our Isipingo and Adam’s Mission sites in eThekwini – both home to the Endangered Pickersgill’s Reed Frog. In total, we have reached over 475 community members of all ages who have attended monthly screenings since 2019.

Table Mountain Ghost Frog

Our research project – linked to a PhD study – on the Critically Endangered Table Mountain Ghost Frog (Heleophryne rosei) and its habitat includes tadpole monitoring, water quality monitoring, flow monitoring, SASS assessments, in-stream, and riparian monitoring. This research thus far has given insights into threats to the frogs and provided clear management actions needed to reduce these threats while restoring water provision to the local community. Our habitat monitoring on Table Mountain establishes a good baseline for monitoring management interventions implemented and maintained by SANParks and Kirstenbosch. These include water abstraction, alien plant clearing, the installation of boardwalks in sensitive river areas, footpath management, and erosion control. Read more here and watch a short film about the project here.

Managing and restoring habitats

We have developed five Environmental Management Plans for sites we are protecting. These plans address threats and maintain functional habitats. In KwaZulu-Natal, we hire local people at project sites to clear alien invasive plants where the Pickersgill’s Reed Frog is found. Between 2020 and 2021, the teams cleared over 270 hectares to restore wetland function.