Vol. 20 No. 4 (2005): April
Articles

Fauna of Protected Areas - 20: Amphibians in protected areas of Kerala

Published 2005-04-21

Abstract

In a study on distribution and status of amphibians in the protected areas of Kerala, a total of 52 species belonging to 18 genera and six families were recorded from the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, the most abundant family being Ranidae.  Most protected areas showed high amphibian richness, with Periyar Tiger Reserve supporting the highest number of species (26) while Agasthyavanam Biological Park had the lowest number of species (5).  The distribution is found to be varied in different protected areas.  Habitat degradation and agriculatural actvities are the major threats to amphibians in the protected areas.