Scientists in India have discovered 12 new frog species and three other previously believed to have been extinct. The team consisted of scientists from Delhi University, Bombay Natural History, Zoological Survey of India and Brussels’ Vrije University. The discovery was reported in ‘Zootaxa’, the international journal for zoologists. The frogs were spotted in a region known as the Western Ghats, which is a mountain range than runs along the western coast of India that has been identified as one of the ten hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world. Considering the fact that they are occupying a small area, at least six of the new species are sensitive to habitat loss and will be requiring immediate steps toward conservation. “Frogs are extremely important indicators not just of climate change, but also pollutants in the environment,” said the project’s lead scientist, biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju of the University of Delhi. Source: Bikya Masr **
