African Amphibian Conservation Research Group

Congrats to our PhD student Tiaan Botha for winning 1st prize for his talk at this year’s edition of the NWU UESM Postgrad conference.

This is something a hungry frog would post.

Toad crossing season is here: How to help Western leopard toads cross safely | Getaway Magazine If you’re driving around parts of Cape Town at night, keep an eye out for some very small road users. Toad crossing season is here, and endangered Western leopard toads are once again making their annual journey to breeding wetlands.

We're confident that most people on this page like frogs. But do you feel the same about other animals? One of the newest projects our group is associated with wants to know how you feel about animals.

Take the survey:

WASP project A survey of human perception for species

Freshly minted Masters graduates from our group. A hearty congratulations to Karla, Lizzy and Francois.

Our PhD student Tiaan Botha recently shared our Rain Frog research with Getaway Magazine
https://www.getaway.co.za/

You might know this tiny frog for its unforgettable squeak — but it's making headlines for a different reason.

The desert rain frog has been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) list of threatened species after researchers found its specialized coastal habitat in Namibia and South Africa is under increasing pressure from mining and planned energy development. Scientists estimate the frog's population could decline by about 20% over the next two decades.

Because the species is found nowhere else on Earth, protecting its unique habitat will be key to its future. Conservationists say there is still time to safeguard the frog if those habitats are carefully managed and restored.

Radio Feature | Prof. Louis Du Preez on RSG 🎙️🐸

Prof. Louis Du Preez from the North-West University was recently featured in a 30-minute RSG interview titled “’n Padda is ’n ding wat spring, of nie?”

In this fascinating discussion, Prof. Du Preez shares his expertise on frogs and amphibians, including why frogs enter homes, whether they are poisonous, how they survive winter, and the important role they play in the environment.

With more than 30 years of research on frogs and parasites, Prof. Du Preez and his co-researchers have also recorded the unique calls of 160 different frog species.

Another wonderful example of NWU and UESM research making science accessible to the public.

🎧 Listen to the full interview here:
https://www.rsg.co.za/rsg-fm/potgooisnitte/n-padda-is-n-ding-wat-spring-of-nie-deur-kobus-rudolph/


African Amphibian Conservation Research Group NWU FNAS Student Chapter NWU Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences NWU Water Research Group NWU Climatology Research Group_CRG NWU Forb Ecology Research Group - FERG NWU Microbiology NWU Green Team NWU - North-West University

📢IUCN RED LIST UPDATE
🐸 An important milestone for amphibian conservation
Today, the latest IUCN Red List of Threatened Species updates have been published, including assessments for 175 frog species from southern Africa. Combined with the updates released in October 2025, this brings the total to 224 species assessed for the region.

This achievement represents the collaboration of 20 amphibian experts from across southern Africa, with support from the IUCN Amphibian Red List Authority and IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group. The regional assessment process was coordinated by Anura Africa and .

These assessments provide the evidence needed to prioritise conservation action and inform policy based on the best available knowledge.

Key findings for global amphibian updates:
🐸 45 amphibian species globally have been assessed for the first time following their recent scientific descriptions.
📈 11 species have improved in status thanks to new information.
📉 7 species have moved into higher extinction risk categories.
📚 12 species are no longer classified as Data Deficient because we now know enough to assess their conservation status.

Closer to home, three newly recognised Moss Frog species (Arthroleptella) in the Cape - once thought to be populations of just two species - have each received their own Red List assessments. They are now listed as Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered, highlighting the importance of understanding biodiversity at the species level.

One species facing a genuine increase in extinction risk is the Desert Rain Frog (Breviceps macrops), which has been uplisted from Near Threatened to Vulnerable. Restricted to fragile coastal dunes in Namibia and South Africa, this charismatic species faces growing pressure from diamond mining and proposed energy infrastructure development.

Every Red List assessment represents years of research, collaboration, and dedication and provides a roadmap for conservation ⏳📈🗓️🐸

Researchers describe a new fanged frog species that builds mud nests on the forest floor In April 2022, as pre-monsoon darkness descended over Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, a team of researchers winding their way along a forest trail heard an unusual call. “Quaaak…” To Abhijit Das, scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), it sounded like a frog calling from...