New species of frog living in Atewa Forest

There’s another compelling reason to sign our petition to turn Atewa into a National Park. Just weeks after the Critically Endangered White-naped Mangabey Cercocebus lunulatus was found living in Atewa Forest, a new species of frog has been found inhabiting the Atewa Range.

The discovery of the Afia Birago Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus afiabirago highlights that the biodiversity of West African forests needs urgent protection.

In their report on this discovery, the authors describe the importance of preserving Atewa Forest in particular; ‘the composition of the frog fauna seems to indicate a still healthy moist evergreen forest … Unfortunately, the persistence of the original habitats of the Atewa Range are threatened by plans of bauxite mining, and by ongoing illegal logging, artisanal mining, poaching, and farming. The discovery and description of Phrynobatrachus afiabirago adds to the ongoing arguments of the importance of the Atewa Range ecosystem and the need to urgently protect it.’

So please do encourage your friends and family members to join over 9,000 people who have added their name to the petition.

Afia Birago Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus afiabirago can be distinguished by the combination of a slender body, short and pointed snout, a relatively warty dorsum and a black-spotted throat. (Holotype photo by Adam Leache.)