Rajkumar K P
- Project name: Status, distribution, ecology of the Galaxy Frog in the Western Ghats
- Project site: Kerala, India
- EDGE species: Galaxy frog Melanobatrachus indicus
- Active: 2019 - 2022
Biography
Rajkumar has an MSc in Wildlife Biology from Bharathidasan University, and is currently in the third year of his PhD studying the reptiles and amphibians of swamp ecosystems in Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats. He is a part of a network of young herpetologists working in the Western Ghats in India, several of whom have been EDGE Fellows. He was encouraged to apply for the Fellowship after seeing the Fellows benefit from the training provided by EDGE and the significant outputs that have come out of their EDGE projects.
Rajkumar is looking forward to receiving the training he needs to conduct community education work and other social outreach activities, which is something that he is keen to undertake.
EDGE Project
Rajkumar’s project aims to collect data on the distribution, status and ecology of the galaxy frog, for which there is little currently known. His objectives are to:
- Conduct extensive ecological surveys to study the habitat preference and distribution of the frog in the Western Ghats
- Use molecular analysis to assess genetic variation between populations south and north of the Palghat Gap
- Determine if ventral patterns are stable over time and whether photographic identification can be used to identify individuals over time
- Study the behaviour and ecology of the galaxy frog
- Assess local ecological knowledge about the frog and how this knowledge may be used for conservation
- Quantify anthropogenic pressures on the frog through community questionnaires and direct observations
- Gather data on pathogens affecting the species
- Submit a draft updated IUCN Red List assessment for the species
- Develop a conservation action strategy for action by relevant stakeholders
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