Goan Fejervarya

Fascinating facts about the Goan Fejervarya

• The Goan cricket frog lives between 50 m and 800 m elevation, in mud, ponds, temporary ponds, paddy fields and puddles, and has been observed on cashew plantations, showing some tolerance to habitat disturbance.
• Spot a shallow puddle after a monsoon in the Western Ghats and you may find this frog perched on the edge, ready to breed in temporary ponds that vanish within weeks. Using fleeting water bodies as nurseries lets it exploit a resource most permanent-water frogs can’t, revealing a clever bet on the region’s rainy rhythm.
• Protected lands like Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary and Sahyadri Tiger Reserve are home to the species, confirming that key conservation zones also safeguard lesser-known amphibians. Their presence there underscores how wildlife sanctuaries protect entire ecosystems, not just charismatic megafauna.
• While the IUCN rates the frog as ‘least concern’, scientists warn that agricultural pesticides and a warming climate could shrink its breeding sites. The looming threat reminds us that even species currently safe can become vulnerable if their watery habitats disappear.
• Researchers have detected the deadly fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on other Minervarya frogs, raising alarm that the Goan cricket frog could face the same risk. This connection illustrates how a disease sweeping across amphibian families can silently threaten hidden members of the community.

At a glance

About the Goan Fejervarya

The Goan cricket frog, Minervarya gomantaki, has a white stripe along its upper lip. It lives in grasslands of the Western Ghats, including mud, ponds, temporary ponds, paddy fields, and puddles, and has been observed on cashew plantations. It occurs between 50 and 800 meters above sea level and has been reported from Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Tillari Conservation Reserve, Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, and Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary.

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