On a mission to save a misunderstood amphibian

Amphibian populations all over the world face the threat of extinction due to the pressure on environment. Kerala is home to a little-known amphibian species that is killed in large numbers simply because it resembles a snake. Oommen V. Oommen, head of the Department of Zoology, University of Kerala, and Ramachandran Kotharambath, a doctoral student, have embarked on a mission to save the caecilian amphibian. The latest issue of Froglog, bimonthly newsletter of the Amphibian Specialists Group under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), carries a paper authored by the two academicians. Highlighting the challenges to the caecilian population in the Western Ghats, the researchers argue the need for field studies, especially in the north Kerala region, to remove the myths that have made the amphibian species much-feared creatures. They point out that a significant number of caecilians are succumbing to pesticide use, changing land use pattern and accidental death during cultivation in farms. Field visits revealed that the caecilian is considered deadly by the common man. A tribal man in the Agasthyavanam Biological Reserve informed them that one particular species was more poisonous than a King Cobra. "When questioned, the man admitted that he had no personal knowledge of any casualties but was steadfast in his belief that it is dangerous," the paper says.In another village in north Kerala, a house owner admitted that he had killed one and burned it using salt and kerosene. In some areas, caecilians are known as double-headed animals or blind snakes. In 2007, November, Natural History Museum, London, had named a species of caecilian amphibian after Dr. Oommen. The species, Uraeotyphlus oommeni, was discovered in the Western Ghats in 1987.The intrinsic biology of caecilians makes their study challenging. The Indian caecilian amphibian burrows the soil and a special digging effort is required to bring it out. "Wading in muddy fields to fish out slimy creatures will put off all but the most dedicated researcher," Dr. Oommen says."The caecilian amphibians are legless and have a subterranean lifestyle. The elusive life of this poorly documented amphibians has given them a bad image among the layman. They are absolutely harmless. People have to be educated to prevent them from killing these snake-like frogs," says Mr.Ramachandran. Currently, 16 species of caecilians have been reported from Kerala. "With the recent surge in field work, the number will hopefully go up," the paper says. Interestingly, only a few caecilians have been reported from protected areas like wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and forests. Most of the sightings are from inhabited areas, mainly fields and plantations.

The Hindu, 16^th September 2008