Frogs in Madagascar

Posted on November 20, 2015 by georgesayer

Having completed my Diploma in Mauritius, I decided to go for a trip to Madagascar before returning to the UK. I spent 3 weeks travelling up the ‘backbone’ of the country North to South, visiting many National and Community Nature Reserves.

Mantella baroni (c) George Sayer

Madagascar is a place of unbelievable diversity and endemicity, but under immense pressure from a large population heavily reliant on the land. I thought I would introduce some of the frog species I encountered there. Madagascar is a hotspot for frog diversity – it is thought to have over 300 species (266 currently described), of which 99% are endemic.

Mantella madagasariensis (c) George Sayer

The amphibian highlights of the trip were finding these Mantella baroni and Mantella madagascariensis on a rainforest riverbank. Whilst the former is still widespread the latter is decreasing and classed as vulnerable.

The following Images highlight just a few other frogs I saw on the trip.