About
Boophis baetkei is a frog endemic to Madagascar, found in a single location: the eastern edge of the Fôret d’Ambre Special Reserve.
This species may be a regionally endemic as surrounding patches of lowland forests are likely too dry for this species. It also has not been found in the nearby Montagne d’Ambre National Park. This species is part of the Mantellidae frog family, which diverged from all other amphibian lineages about 50 million years ago, which makes them as dissimilar from their closest relatives as porcupines are from chinchillas. There is severe ongoing decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat, caused by logging, charcoal production, clearance for agriculture for products such as bananas and coffee, and grazing of domestic livestock. Despite the species is found in a forest reserve, the area is being degraded and cleared, without any immediate conservation action. Better management of the protected area is required to ensure the future safeguarding of this species.
- Order: Anura
- Family: Mantellidae
- Population: Rare
- Trend: decreasing
- Size: 30.8mm
EDGE Score
Distribution
This species is only known from the eastern edge of the Fôret d’Ambre Special Reserve in northern Madagascar, 470 metres above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology
This species is arboreal and is found in transitional forest at the edge of the Fôret d’Ambre Special Reserve. They live by streams that might be used for breeding.