Purple Frog

  Purple Frog

(Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis)

The Purple Frog is one of only two species in the Nasikabatrachidae family. It is found in the Western Ghats in India. It is also known as Pignose frog.

Conservation status:- Endangered

Scientific classification:

Kingdom:   Animalia

Phylum:     Chordata

Class:        Amphibia

Order:       Anura

Family:     Nasikabatrachidae

Genus:     Nasikabatrachus

Species:  N. sahyadrensis

It is endemic to Southern Western Ghats in India. It remains underground most of the year except for 2-3 weeks during the monsoon when it comes out to mate.

It is a "living fossil", this species exist on Earth since 70 millions years ago (7 crores years) at that time, it co-exist which dinosaurs. It's closest relative is found in the Seychelles Archipelagos, the Indian Ocean. The Indian subcontinent and the Seychelles were once part of the same landmass "Gondawana land", but they were separated 65 millions years ago.

The purple frog has a bloated body with short stout limbs and is dark purple to greyish in colour. Reaching to about 7 centimetres, it has a small head in comparison to the body length, and an unusually pointed snout. Its short and muscular forelimbs with hard palms help it to burrow underground. Unlike other frogs, it has very short hind legs, which does not allow it to leap from one spot to another. As a result, it covers any distance with long strides. It depends more on its sense of smell to hunt out soil termites underground.

This burrow-dwelling frog prefers loose, damp and well-aerated soil close to ponds and ditches or streams. This makes it convenient for adults to come out to mate during the monsoon and the females lay eggs in the water bodies. Around 3000 eggs are laid in a rock pool and the tadpoles metamorphose after 100 days.

                             Tadpole of Purple Frog

Only 135 individuals of this species are known, of which only 3 are females. The major threat to it is habitat loss due to human encroachment.

Pygmy Hog

                                     Pygmy Hog

                                 (Porcula salvania)

The pygmy hog is a suid (boar or hog) which lives in the foothills of the Himalayas. They are the smallest member of the Suid (hog) family. Today, their only know population lives in Assam, India.

Conservation status: Critically Endangered 

Scientific classification:-

Kingdom:    Animalia

Phylum:      Chordata

Class:        Mammalia

Order:        Artidactyla

Family:      Suidae

Genus:      Porcula

Species:   P. salvania 

They are about 55-71 cm (21.5 to 28 in) long and stand at 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in), with a tail of 1 inch. They weight 6.6 to 11.8 kg. Their skin is dark brownish-black and hair is dark. They lives for about 8 years. That feed on roots, tubers, insects, rodents and small reptiles.

Their population is estimated around 200- 250 individuals. Thier only population lives in the Manas National Park. They were reintroduced in the Manas National Park, with 6 individuals and their population have grown upto 200 individuals.

Lion-tailed Macaque

Lion-tailed Macaque

(Maca silenus)

The lion-tailed macaque is an Old World monkey which is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.

Conservation status: Endangered

Scientific classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Primates

Suborder: Haplorhini

Infraorder: Simiiformes

Family: Cercopothecidae

Genus: Macaca

Species: M. silenus

The hair of the lion-tailed macaque is black. It's characteristic is the silver-white name which surrounds the head from the cheeks down to its chin, which gives this monkey it's German name Bartaffe means "beard ape". The face is black in colour. Its length is 42 to 61 cm and weight is 2 to 10 kg. Tail is medium in length at about 25 cm, and has a black tuft at the end that is similar to a lion's tail. The life expectancy in the wild is approximately 20 years, while in captivity is up to 30 years.

The lion-tailed macaque is a rainforest dweller, it is diurnal, and is active exclusively during daylight hours. It is a good climber and spends a majority of its life in the upper canopy of tropical evergreen forest. A group usually consists of 10to 20 members.

Lion-tailed macaque feeds on a large variety of fruits, leaves, buds, insects, small vertebraes and birds eggs.

 

The lion-tailed macaque ranks among the rastest and most threatened primates. In the late 20th century, it was on the list of 'The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates'. After conservation programs in Silent Valley National Park, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Periyar Tiger Reserve and in other protected areas, the population of the species has risen.

At current time, they have a population of 3000- 3500 individuals.

Andaman Wood Pigeon

Andaman Wood Pigeon

(Columba palumboides)

The Andaman Wood Pigeon is a species of bird which is endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Conservation status: Near Threatened

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Columbiformes

Family: Columbidae

Genus: Columba

Species: C. palumboides

It is a large pigeon. Its head is white with a red yellow-tipped beak. The rest of its body is dark gray.