Colour me
Rainforests of the Anamalais come alive with the elusive purple frog during the monsoon
here is one thing that can coax the purple frogs of the rainforests of the Anamalais in Tamil Nadu from their underground burrows — rain. Known as pignose frog, the purple-pigmented frog endemic to the Western Ghats in India, emerges very briey every year for a few days during the monsoons to breed. As part of an education series from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, a new lm turns the spotlight on this endangered species. According to researchers, the frog is related to a family of frogs found in Seychelles. While the unusual frog, resembling a tortoise
Twithout a shell, may come across as odd in appearance, each quirk in its anatomy is the result of countless years of evolution. Small eyes, a long snout, and short limbs equipped with hardened ‘spades’ enables the frog to spend almost its entire life underground. A relic from the age of the dinosaurs, its ancestors have inhabited the rainforest streams of the southern Western Ghats including the rainforests of Valparai in the Anamalais for over 130 million years.
“The purple frog’s evolution dates to around 100 million years during the Cretaceous period,” says Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary Environment Climate Change and Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu. “This ancient
This unique frog emerges very briefly during the monsoons to breed.
lineage makes the purple frog a living fossil, representing a unique evolutionary path. It burrows deep into the soil, which is unusual behaviour for a frog, and this requires specialised adaptations,” she explains, adding that these frogs breed in fast-owing streams, which is very di¢erent from typical frog reproduction in ponds or slow-moving waters. The rarity and unique evolutionary history has made it a focal point for conservation e¢orts and scientic study under Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund (TNESCF). Its vision is to implement targeted conservation projects for critically endangered species found in Tamil Nadu, such as the Nilgiri tahr, purple frog, and lion-tailed macaque. While the focus is on protecting and restoring key habitats like forests and wetlands, promoting eco-tourism is another major goal.
Spotlight on conservation
“We are making a pan-Tamil Nadu series of educational lms on endangered species for the Forest Department,” says Pravin Shanmughanandan of Pollachi Papyrus, a travel portal that curates experiences in the Anaimalais and the Nilgiris. The lm has rst-of-its kind footage featuring mating, egg laying, froglets, and adult species.
“I couldn’t believe it, when I rst saw it,” says award-winning photographer KA Dhanuparan who has documented the frog over three years, spending months along the streams during pre-monsoon showers hoping for a glimpse. “For a few minutes, I stood awe-struck observing the behaviour before switching on my camera.” Supriya explains that the educational video series is essential as it helps raise awareness among the public about the existence and plight of endangered species in Tamil Nadu.“The purple frog is a fascinating example of evolutionary adaptation,” she adds.