Amphibian
Special Interest Group (ASIG)
Declining Amphibian Populations Task
Force-South Asia (DAPTF-SA)
Amphibian network was initiated by the Conservation
Planning Specialist Group India CPSG India
in 1995 and later it has evolved into a group, which
covers much of South Asia. The main objective of the
network initially was to establish a database of all
amphibian researchers in India and the neighbouring
South Asian countries. Even some professional
amphibian biologists seemed to be unaware of the
number of people conducting useful and relevant
studies on amphibians. There were many
researchers working on amphibians in various
lesser-known universities and colleges not being
included. When this networking initiative was
undertaken there were 100 names in the list by the
end of the first year. Initial questionnaires also
revealed that the researchers were interested in
sharing information with one another and in having a
network. Now there are 202+ members
under this network.
Since the initial activity of the Amphibian Network
was successful, John Baker, then International
Coordinator of the Declining Amphibian Populations
Task Force (DAPTF) requested Sanjay Molur and CPSG
ASIG to affiliate with DAPTF in South Asia and he
requested Sanjay to join with Dr. Sushil Dutta of
Utkal University as the Co-chair of DAPTF-SA.
DAPTF-SA is one of the active regional groups of
DAPTF. The group was established in 1993. The group
has assumed much responsibility and has spearheaded
various activities in the region, some of the most
important ones being:
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Identification and
networking of amphibian field biologists in
South Asia. |
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Directory of amphibian
field researchers in South Asia. |
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Conservation Assessment
of all Indian amphibians according to the
1994 IUCN categories of threat. |
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Publication of
newsletters and amphibian special issue
journals. |
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Conduct of a hands-on
training in amphibian field methodologies,
taxonomy and identification and assisting
with the organisation of a conservation
assessment workshop in Sri Lanka. |
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Printed a educational packet on
amphibians named "Helping Herps Amphibians:
Global Warning!" and "Amphibian Aark" Which
contains general information about
amphibian, masks, stickers, placard,
posters, Rakhi and colouring book and it was
circulated to zoos and NGO's during wildlife
week and Animal Welfare fortnightly. |
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Objectives
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To encourage and
promote the study of amphibians of South
Asia, by organizing and running a network of
amphibian specialists, and to provide them
useful services.
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To maintain a check
list and data base -- as complete and
correct as possible -- of amphibians of
South Asia providing local, national and
regional information to be shared with
important national and international
agencies and organisations; |
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To catalyse, organize,
conduct and follow-up conservation
assessment and other workshops and training
exercises for amphibian specialists of South
Asia and public education projects as
appropriate, nationally or regionally
Click on these links below to view the
reports of the Amphibian CAMPs
Click on these links below to view the
reports of some of these training workshops
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To follow up such
workshops with recommendations to local,
state, national and regional wildlife
authorities for protection for threatened
species of amphibians and promotion of
further studies of Data Deficient
species (ongoing but much needs to be
done) |
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To undertake a set of
specific tasks utilising the information
from the 2002 Amphibian CAMP workshop to
further enhance our knowledge of amphibian
status in South Asia. |
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To research and disseminate information
about funding sources for field surveys |
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To bring out a newsletter of current
amphibian conservation, research, education
news (several issues have been brought out
and can be found on our website)
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To prepare a Directory of amphibian
specialists of South Asia for distribution
to all network members
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To prepare educational
materials on amphibians at different levels
on for conveying to policy makers,
politicians, and the public ? all ages and
languages.
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To involve researchers in public
education on amphibians by providing printed
material and guidelines. |
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