The BBC have done it again with a world class documentary series, this time they have decided to push the boundaries with one of the most feared animals in the world. The 2 part series which first aired on Sunday 19th February 2012 entitled Swimming with Crocodiles, follows researchers in Botswana and Australia who have discovered that by pinning themselves to the bed of the river the crocodiles tend to ignore them. These scientists and risking their own lives with the goal of better understanding this prehistoric creatures in their own element.
This means having to dive with them and see how the spend 80% of their lives. One of the core components of their study is to fine out how the local people can use the water safely where their are crocodiles. The Nile Crocodile can grow to 6m long, weigh in at half a tonne and live for 100 years. They are formidable predators with adults crocodiles having the strongest bite in the animal kingdom as well indiscriminating between wildebeests, fish or humans when it comes to food.
Nile Crocodiles are found throughout Africa and in Botswana the crystal clear water of the Okovango Delta makes it one of the best crocodile watching destinations in the world. If you interested in travelling to Botswana as part of a Botswana Safari Holiday then have a look at our range of safaris and wildlife tours of Botswana.
One of the best ways of seeing crocodiles and watching crocodiles in Botswana on a safari is via a mokoro or local canoe trip. The scientists studying them here are going one better than this though and entering the water to see the crocodiles on their turf. The chief scientist on this study is zoologist Dr Adam Britton has been studying crocodiles for nearly 18 years, and headed to Botswana’s Okavango Delta to run a week-long pilot research project investigating where they hide before attacking, and how they detect prey.
His new and visionary approach is to study them by unobtrusive techniques, more observation based, which is in stark contrast to the usual study method is has been capturing the crocodile and dragging it onto the boat which is very stressful to the crocodile and has very obvious limitations.
By entering the water to watch crocodiles the team of researchers can carry out initial experiments was the only way to gather data – so diving experts Brad Bestelink and Andrea Crawford had to set strict guidelines to reduce the chances of an attack. Dr. Britton said: “Crocodiles target prey on the surface – so the main ‘danger zone’ is getting in and out of the water. So the first thing is to get to the bottom. Once on the riverbed, these man-eaters didn’t appear to see us as prey, and we could study their senses, their movements, and discover where they choose to hide, all without being attacked. We established that as long as the circumstances are right, the croc is not bothered about us observing it underwater.”
The team observed crocs “walking” on the river bottom – which helps them conserve energy, and found they could even touch the crocodiles’ tails, as long as they made no sudden movements and kept away from their heads this level of interaction is ground breaking and the possible further findings could help saves hundreds of lives throughout Africa.
One of the biggest problems when it comes to watching crocodiles in Botswana, elsewhere in Africa and Australia is that the can spend so long (hours) under then water, so one of the key questions which the team wanted answering was: Where do they hide when they are resting under the water. So the team had to dive into ‘croc caves’.
“These are areas under banks, where the banks are overhanging, where the water is fractionally warmer and the water is very still, and if you look up, the croc has a better view of what’s on the surface – silhouetted against the light.”
Dr. Britton has a hypothesis on why crocodiles gravitate and aggrevate to these spots.
“Comparing these to areas in the main channel showed, as you might expect, that those areas were preferably not only for shelter but also for hunting. It’s likely that crocodiles are using some of these areas to listen, taste and watch for signs of activity (from prey, and from other crocs) before moving out to investigate.”
By uncovering these resting places, the team are able to advise divers, swimmers and other river-users to stay in fast-flowing areas of the river, if they want to avoid a crocodile attack.
The next instalment of this series is due to be aired on BBC Two at 21:00 on Sunday 26th February 2012. This time the team will be looking at the most dangerous species of crocodile in the world. The Saltwater Crocodile of northern Australia. Royle Safaris offers excellent tours to the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia where crocodiles are high on the list of priorities. So if you are interested in trying to watch and observe the world’s largest species of reptile in the wild then check out our range of Australia Wildlife Tours and join us in out quest super sized crocodiles.
As of February 2012 the small country of Bangladesh has created 3 new wildlife sanctuaries specifically for the endangered freshwater dolphins in the Sundarbans (the Sunderbans are the world’s largest entact mangrove forest). The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have been working in Bangladesh to pinpoint these locations and the thought is that this will greatly help these endangered species recover.
Royle Safaris offers you the chance of visiting the Sunderbans on our Bangladesh wildlife tour which explores the amazing Sunderbans forest and offers excellent chances of seeing both of these species as well as tigers, salt-water crocodiles, deer, monkeys and hundreds of birds.
The three new dolphin sanctuaries are set out to protect the last two remaining species of freshwater dolphins living in Asia: the Ganges River dolphin and the Irrawaddy dolphin. Both species have been disappearing from major portions of their range for the last few decades. However, there are sustainable populations of both species in the Sundarbans, which may now serve as a global safety net for preventing their extinction.
These 3 new wildlife sanctuaries plan to safeguard 19.4 miles of river channels with a total area of 4.1 sq miles being protected. The locations and sizes of the sanctuaries in the Sundarbans were determined according to a comprehensive study conducted by WCS and the Bangladesh Forest Department. The study found that the habitat of Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins were clumped in waterways where human activities are most intense; and therefore in the most urgent need for protection.
The director for WCS’s Asian Freshwater and Coastal Cetacean Programme recently said ‘Declaration of these wildlife sanctuaries is an essential first step in protecting Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins in Bangladesh.’
‘As biological indicators of ecosystem-level impacts, freshwater dolphins can inform adaptive human-wildlife management to cope with climate change suggesting a broader potential for conservation and sustainable development.’
It is very important to protect this pristine habitats in the Sunderbans as the Yangtze River Dolphin was declared extinct only a couple of years ago, after not being afforded this level of protection in a rapidly developing country. Royle Safaris are committed to the preservation of habitats such as the Sunderbans and the conservation and research of wildlife in Bangladesh. This is why for every Sunderbans Cruise we conduct we donate money to numerous Bangladesh conservation societies.
The freshwater dolphins in the Sunderbans are threatened by numerous threats including fatal entanglements in fishing gear, depletion of their prey from the enormous bycatch of fish and crustaceans in fine-mesh nets used to catch fry for shrimp farming, and increasing salinity and sedimentation caused by rising sea levels and changes in the availability of upstream freshwater flow.
The development of these 3 new sanctuaries is very good news. Especially considering the recent extinction of the Yangtze River dolphin whose last confirmed sighting was in 2002. Fatal entanglement in nets and habitat degradation killed off this species after having survived in China’s Yangtze River for more than 10 million years.
It is also important that sustainable Sunderbans cruises and other Bangladesh wildlife holidays and Bangladesh wildlife tours continue in this rapidly developing country to ensure the continued survival of Bangladesh wildlife especially the dolphins in the Sunderbans.
Throughout the world the freshwater dolphins are among the most threatened species because their habitat is highly impacted by human activities. River systems are under threat from dam construction and unsustainable fisheries, to name a couple of problems. In addition to conserving globally important populations of freshwater dolphins, the new wildlife sanctuaries in the Sundarbans will provide protection for other threatened aquatic wildlife including the river terrapin, masked finfoot, and small-clawed otter and of course the largest population of wild tigers left in the world. By joining any of our wildlife holidays and Bangladesh wildlife tours we will be taking you deep into the Sunderbans on a chartered Sunderbans cruise holiday and will have excellent chances of spotting wildlife including tigers and dolphins.
Since 2009 Bangladesh has been regarded as a cetacean hotspot, with the WCS announcing the discovery of the world’s largest population of nearly 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins in the country. A portion of this population shares habitat with the endangered Ganges river dolphin, whose range extends all the way upstream to the shadow of the Himalayas in Nepal.
If you are interested in visiting Bangladesh on a wildlife holiday or even just a week long cruise of the Sunderbans tehn Royle Safaris is the only sustainable tour operator who offers fully guided (by professional zoologisits) safaris to Bangladesh. So please see our range of Bangladesh Holidays for more details and information, including full itineraries and prices.
Elephants are one of the most intelligent and endearing animals in the world and in many parts of Southern Asia the Asiatic elephant is an important part of culture as a reverred symbol of the Hindu God Ganesh (the god of prosperity and good fortune) and also as a working tool which has helped to carve out some of India and Nepals’ greatest monuments in the past. As a result the Asiatic elephant holds a special place in the hearts of many people here and because of this the elephant sanctuary and breeding centre in Chitwan has been set up. This is a great way to get close to elephants and see the strong bond between the mother and calves and also to get close to the young elephants as they wander playfully around the breeding centre under the watchful eye of the rangers and mahouts. If you would like to see these elephants then you can as we visit this breeding centre as part of our Chitwan Jungle Safari which takes in the best Tiger Watching in Nepal.
The above video shows the playful side of the elephant calves and shows how much they enjoy the interaction with people. If you would like more information then do not hesitate to Contact Us at info@royle-safaris.co.uk or call us on 0845 226 8259 and we will take you through the process step by step.
After the first comprehensive study of marine life around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia has revealed a greater biodiversity than many tropical sites, such as the Galapagos Islands. The study provides an important benchmark to monitor how certain species may respond to future environmental changes such as climatic changes forced by the global warming phenomenon..
A group of researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (B.A.S.), (who are funded by the British Government’s Darwin Initiative and the South Georgia Heritage Trust), examined more than 130 years of polar records (using ice cores which trap the atmosphere from past years in bubbles and the state of the water in the ice). This research showed around 1,500 species from South Georgia and its surrounding islands. Making this the richest area for marine life in the entire Southern Ocean.
The head scientist, Oliver Hogg from the B.A.S. says: ‘The biodiversity of South Georgia exceeds that of its nearest rivals such as the Galapagos and Equador in terms of the number of species inhabiting its shores. During the breeding season it hosts the densest mass of marine mammals on Earth.’ All of this in what is some of the fastest warming oceans in the world.
Specimens were collected from scientific cruises, fisheries vessels and by scuba divers from the seas around South Georgia, famous for great polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition. Species identified include sea urchins, free-swimming worms, fish, sea spiders and crustaceans. Most are rare and many occur nowhere else on the planet.
The near-surface waters around South Georgia are some of the fastest warming on Earth so this study provides a framework to identify ecologically sensitive areas and species, identify conservation priorities and monitor future changes.
Oliver Hogg continues: ‘This is the first time anybody has mapped out the biodiversity of a small polar archipelago in the Southern Ocean. If we are to understand how these animals will respond to future change, a starting point like this is really important.’
If you would like to travel to South Georgia or any of the other Sub Antarctic islands, we can arrange these, as part of our great Tailor Made Wildlife Holidays service in which we can tailor your holiday for your ideal requirements.
In February 2011 one of the largest aggregations of Killer Whales anywhere in the world was spotted off North West Ireland.
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group got a report of a feeding aggregation of Killer Whales (Orcas) in the offshore waters of NW Ireland. The sighting was first noticed by Lt. Cdr. Paddy Harkin, who is the Captain of the L.E. Niamh whilst on a routine patrol for the Irish Navy.
The orcas were feeding on huge shoals of mackerel. Joining in the fishing bonanza were approximately 25 fishing boats. One of the vessels recorded a staggering 4,000 tonnes onboard while many other boats had over 1,000 tonnes. In fact every fishing boat had in excess of 200 tonnes of mackerel per day. The orcas were observed over a 30mile stretch of water where the bulk of the mackerel were aggregated. This was an amazing sight to watch as the fisherman watched approximately 100 killer whales in UK waters.
According to one of the fishermen watching the whales, they orcas had accompanied the mackerel from west of the Hebrides, which shows how intently they were feeding and the vastness of the mackerel shoal. An estimate of over 100 orcas was proposed by the fishermen watching the whales and the Naval officers who reported the sighting.
The Irish whale watching, dolphin watching and orca watching database was only set up recently and the first killer whale recorded was in 1977 when the nick-named “Dopey Dick” swam up Lough Foyle and entranced TV viewers as the spectacle played out over a number of days. People watching the whales and watching the orca in the river in particular they fell in love with the species and this recent sighting is great news for passionate whale watchers in the UK and Ireland. Since the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group was set up they have recorded 162 orcas in Irish waters, with an average group size of 3 to 4 whales per sighting. Although these animals were spread out over a wide area in a lose feeding aggregation, this amount of killer whales is unprecedented in Irish waters. However, similar feeding events have been seen off the coast of Shetland in UK waters.
If you would like to see Orcas or other whales and dolphins in the UK and in particular Scotland then have a look at our great range of Whale Watching Holidays and our Orca Watching Holidays the please check out our great offers.
We can even arrange great Tailor Made Wildlife Holidays in which we can stake out the best places to see these and other primates all over the world.
Primate scientists from the German Primate Centre have have identified a new species of gibbon living in the tropical rain forests between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia..
The amazing German Primate Center (DPZ) in Göttingen have been busy identifying more primate species. This time a new species of gibbon: the northern buffed-cheeked gibbon, Nomascus annamensis. The scientists identified it through the very distinct vocalizations. the frequency and tempo of the vocalisations were used in conjuntion with genetic material to show that the species is indeed a new species of gibbon. The gibbon split comes from watching the Crested gibbon, a monogamous gibbon that is just about the most endangered primate species in the world. By watching gibbons and studying their behaviour, DNA and calls we have discovered a huge diversity of this incredible family of apes.
You do not have to watch gibbons for very long to see that their songs are a very important part of their life history. The calls resonate in the early morning through jungles of South East Asia from Bangladesh to Vietnam and north to China. The study was conducted in the inhospitable mountainous areas between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Here they watched the gibbons and after suspecting their song serves to defend territory in a species specific way, or even be a precursor of the music humans make. As the scientists began to recognise the species by their calls they decided that this could be a species specific and they have discovered that the different species and even identify individuals by the frequency and tempo of their calls.
Gibbons, alongside orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas belong to the family of apes, our closest relatives. They are split into four genera of gibbons, of which the crested gibbons, Inare the most eye-catching. In all gibbon species they show sexual dimorphism and look very different.
This latest discovery takes the number of crested gibbons seven species found in South East Asia. They are very difficult to see but with the help of zoologist guides and local helpers it is possible to track down wild gibbons and watch them in primate watching holidays.
If you would like to see wild gibbons in the South East Asia from Bangladesh to Vietnam then have a look at our great range of Primate Watching Holidays and our Gibbon Watching Holidays the please check out our great offers.
We can even arrange great Tailor Made Wildlife Holidays in which we can stake out the best places to see these and other primates all over the world.
Last month the government of Nepal announced that the population of greater one-horned rhinos has increased dramtically. The National Rhino Census revealed a count of 534 rhinos in Nepal, marking a huge increase of 99 one-horned rhinos from the 435 recorded in the 2008 census..
The details of the 534 Rhino Sightings are outlined below:
* An large increase of 95 rhinos in Chitwan National Park, making a total of 503.
* 24 rhinos in sighted Bardia National Park
* 7 rhinos sighted in Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve
These numbers coincide with large conservation efforts which have been very successful and are a result of improved rhino protection measures and management of habitat. The census was led by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), and supported by WWF and the National Trust for Nature Conservation. And signifies a real boost for the rhino population and brings conservation in the Himalayan Foothills into the forefront of international media.
These fantastic results also show the government’s strong commitment to biodiversity conservation in Nepal, which is a result of diverse partnerships starting at the very lowest levels. WWF is encouraged by the positive results, but calls for even stronger anti-poaching measures and protection of habitat because poaching still remains a serious threat to rhinos due to demand for their horns.
“We must remain vigilant because the gains made since the last rhino census could easily be lost if we are complacent,” said Shubash Lohani, deputy director for WWF’s Eastern Himalayas program. “Rhinos are vulnerable to illegal wildlife trade and we must do all we can to ensure that they receive safe passage into the future.”
You can join one of our tours of Nepal and scour Chitwan in search of some of these rhinos, for more information about our Nepal Wildlife Holidays the please check out our great offers.
According to recent research we now know that there is remarkable differences between the lions of west and central Africa and those of the east and south of Africa. .
The study suggests that lions from west and central Africa are genetically different from the lion populations in east and southern Africa. The scientists analysed a region on the mitochondrial DNA of the big cats from across Africa and from the Asiatic subspecies in India, including sequences from extinct lions such as the Atlas lions which used to live in Morocco.
The findings were surprisingly as it showed that, lions from West and Central Africa seemed to be more related to lions from the Asiatic subspecies than to their geographically closer counterparts in East and Southern Africa. The differences had been previously suggested due to the lions in West and Central Africa being smaller in size and weight, having smaller manes, living in smaller groups, eating smaller prey and may also differ in the shape of their skull. However, this research was not backed by conclusive scientific evidence but now there is genetic information confirming this theory.
The distinction between lions from the two areas of Africa can partially be explained by the location of natural structures that may form barriers for lion dispersal; such as the Central African rainforest and the great Rift Valley of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.
Another finding from this research helps to explain the climatological history west and central Africa as the lions here are found in ecosystems very different from where they are usually found.
It is now believed that there was a localised extinction of lions from west and central Africa between 40,000 and 18,000 years ago and the lions moved into Asia. Since then the big cats have since recolonised west and central Africa from Asia which explains why these lions are genetically closer to the Indian population than others in Africa.
There is estimated to be about 1,700 lions remaining in Western and Central Africa, which is less than 10% of the total lion population in Africa and these numbers are still declining. The major threats are fragmentation or even destruction of their natural savannah habitat and the depletion of prey as well as retaliatory killing by livestock owners.
If you want to try see the differences in these big cats for yourself then please read more about our Big Cat Tours of Africa and India and join us for the big cat watching trip of a life time!
During his famous cruise and tour of the Galapagos Islands Charles Darwin recorded most of the species and of course made discoveries that changed the world. But for all his work he missed this species. With the irony that it is the 200th anniversary of Sir Charles Darwin’s birth, and the 150th of the publication of his great work “On the Origin of Species”
The discovery of the this pink land iguana in the Galápagos Islands may provide further evidence of the ancient animal’s diversification in the archipelago.
Galapagos Island park rangers first noted the presence of a pink variety of land iguana on the slopes of Volcano Wolf on Isla Isabela as far back as 1986, but it was not until the year 2000 that scientists began to examine it.
On his cruise and tour of the Galápagos Islands in 1835, Sir Charles Darwin failed to explore the Volcan Wolf volcano on Isla Isabela, which is the only home of the “rosada” iguana, a newly identified species of the land iguana (Genus Conolophus).
Ancient divergence of a Prehistoric Genus
Genetic analysis of the rosada and other species of Galapagos land iguanas performed by Dr Gabriele Gentile (University Tor Vergata, Rome) show that the rosada iguana originated in the Galápagos more than 5,000,000 years ago, and diverged from the Galapagos Island’s other iguana populations when the archipelago was still being formed by early volcanic processes.
The ancient divergence between the rosada and other land iguanas – prior to the formation of the Volcan Wolf volcano – provides evidence for one of the most ancient diversification events recorded in the Galápagos Islands. It is thought that the Wolf volcano is just 350,000 years old so the iguanas were present long before the volcano was formed which also shows that there was plenty of movement between the many islands in the Galapagos’ early development.
Critically Endangered Species
This newly recognized species of Galapagos land iguana is already an endangered species and probably in danger of extinction, Dr Gentile warns. The pink iguanas are only found on the slopes of the Wolf volcano, and Dr Gentile’s team believes that fewer than 100 individual Rosadas still exist.
Dr Gentile has commented that; “Our studies would indicate that the population size is very small. We only collected 36 during the two years study; and last year a large research team hiked up Wolf Volcano and only found 10, and most of those were ones that we had marked earlier.”
These numbers are low enough to make Rosada Land Iguana a Critically Endangered species.
If you want to try and find one of these Galapagos Land Iguanas and have a wildlife tour and cruise of the amazing Galapagos Islands then please read more about our Galapagos Tours and join us on our fantastic cruises and wildlife watching tours.
After receiving several reports of unusual sightings of Gharial in the eastern Hooghly District on the Ganges, a couple of conservation organisations went off in search of the crocodilian, and with support of a local government body of Hooghly & Burdwan district carried out an special expedition in search of Gangetic Dolphins and Gharials and in the river Hooghly; with the aim of potentially setting up a new Gharial and Dolphin Conservation Reserve.
To their amazement and joy, they recorded over 40 gharial sightings and photographed 2 large, breeding females. They also found several, newly hatched gharials and have estimated that this population probably numbers between 150-200; which constitutes a large percentage of the population.
Gharial sightings
Over the course of the 3 month survey 4 regions of “maximum gharial occurrence” were identified. Amongst the sightings were reports of 1ft long babies to 17ft males, and more than 10islands with potential nesting and basking grounds were also identified.
It is now crucial to identify and protect all suitable breeding habitats for these newly identified populations and existing gharial populations, if they are to have a chance to survive and flourish. So this study necessarily includes an assessment of the extent and quality of the gharial habitat.
Threats to Gharial
There is heavy human traffic from fishing and other boating activities in most if not all of gharial habitats throughout the Gangetic plain, which is the main reason behind the difficulty in spotting gharials during the day in India. The high level of human activity has created human/gharial conflict; due to the perception that the gharials might, as with other crocodiles, pose a danger to humans directly. Extensive fishing is also known to have caused several deaths as gharials have become caught up in the nets, and extensive fishing has also lead to the decline in prey abundance. Also the destruction of sandbanks for the use in brick factories and industrial pollution are also threats, as the gharials have less and less suitable nesting and basking habitats.
Gangetic Dolphins
During the survey we were also looking to spot and record Gangetic dolphins; amazingly 36 Gangetic dolphins in total over the 170km stretch of river. At 6 locations in the study area congregations of between 4 and 11 dolphins were observed.
If you are interested in trying to find both Gharial and Gangetic River dolphins then check out all India Wildlife Holidays and Nepal Wildlife Holidays for more information on how to see these magnificent and critically endangered animals in the wild.
The wintering breeding grounds for the endangered humpback whale are larger than originally thought, according to new high-tech research off Hawaii.
The primary North Pacific breeding ground for the humpback whale has traditionally been considered to be the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), but using devices known as Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs), scientists have now found that the breeding ground area extends throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago and into the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI).
More than 8,500 whales migrate to Hawaii each year
A song is produced by male humpback whales during the winter breeding season to attract mates as well as establish breeding grounds. All the males on a wintering ground sing roughly the same song during any given year, but the song changes from year to year. No one is exactly sure why the whales do this but some researchers believe it could be a display to other males that they are there and that they are stronger than last year. It is known that between 8,500 and 10,000 whales migrate to Hawaii each winter; while the rest of the population can be found in other Pacific locations including Taiwan, the Philippines and the Mariana Islands.
Over the past three decades, a general population recovery (from the decimated population after commercial whaling was banned internationally) has resulted in a steady increase in the number of whales and a geographic expansion of their range in the MHI. Until recently, however, no empirical evidence existed that this expansion included the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. So by using EARs, researchers noted the occurrence of humpback whale song as an indicator of winter breeding activity. Humpback whale song was found to be prevalent throughout the NWHI and demonstrated trends very similar to those observed in the MHI (where breeding is known to occur).
The lead scientist, Dr Marc Lammers, of the project said: ‘These findings are exciting because they force us to reevaluate what we know about humpback whale migration and the importance of the NWHI to the population.’
The results are also of particular relevance in light of recent suggestions that an undocumented wintering area for humpback whales exists somewhere in the central North Pacific. Dr Lammers and his colleagues believe that the NWHI could be that area.
Humpback whales were once on the brink of extinction due to the commercial whaling practices of the past century. Today, thanks to international protection, their numbers have dramatically increased, resulting in a greater presence of these singing mammals during the winter months.
An ambitious campaign called Lost! Amphibians of India aims to discover 50 species of Indian amphibians that are considered to be extinct in the wild!
There is a remarkable amphibian diversity in India with 321 amphibian species recorded. However, 13% of these have already been lost 13%, this has ranks India amongst the worst countries for extinctions of native species in the world. Some of these species are only known from brief 100 year old descriptions or sketchy illustrations whilst some lost amphibians species are known from as recently as 18 years ago, however some date from as far back as 170 years.
The good news is that after just three months of the campaign, Lost! Amphibians of India (LAI) remarkable rediscoveries of five lost species of frogs have been made.
LAI is an initiative launched at the University of Delhi on the 2nd November 2010 . The campaign also works in collaboration with the IUCN/ASG, Conservation International, Global Wildlife Conservation, DST and DBT, Government of India, NHM, London and AVC Assam. Making this one of the largest amphibian based projects ever undertaken in the world.
Wildlife watching in India, Frog watching in Western Ghats
Rediscovered after 136 years.
Last seen in 1874 and rediscovered from Kodayar in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, by Ganesan R, Seshadri KS and SD Biju.
Listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered.
ANAMALAI DOT-FROG (Ramanella anamlaiensis)
Rediscovered after 73 years.
Herpetology Tours of Asia and India
Last seen in 1937 and rediscovered from Parambikulam, in Kerala, by SP Vijayakumar, Anil Zachariah, David Raju, Sachin Rai and SD Biju.
Listed by the IUCN as Data Deficient.
DEHRADUN STREAM FROG (Amolops chakrataensis)
Rediscovered after 25 years
Herpetology Holidays of the Western Ghats
Last seen in 1985 and rediscovered by a team of graduate students from Delhi University: Sonali G, Gargi S and Pratyush with Robin Suyesh, Rachunliu G Kamei and SD Biju. Listed by the IUCN as Data Deficient.
SILENT VALLEY TROPICAL FROG (Micrixalus thampii)
Rediscovered after 30 years
Frogging in India's Western Ghats
Last seen 30 years ago and rediscovered in trash can bin in a field station in Silent Valley National Park, in Kerala,
Listed by the IUCN as Data Deficient.
ELEGANT TROPICAL FROG (Micrixalus elegans)
Rediscovered after 73 years.
Frogging Expeditions Worldwide
Last seen when the original description was taken in 1937 and rediscovered after 73 years in Kempholey, Karnataka, by KV Gururaja, KP Dinesh and SD Biju in a forest stream bed at the original collection area.
