Species Spotlight - Knysna Leaf-Folding Frog


                                               Photo credit: Steenbok Nature Reserve

In spring and summer, during the evening, the frog chorus ramps up to a near fever pitch. Some may enjoy the biological orchestra, while to others it may be a raucous cacophony. To ecologists like Dr Minke Witteveen, this is a short and important window for research on the Endangered Knysna leaf-folding frog (Afrixalus knysnae). The Knysna leaf-folding frog lays its eggs above water folded in a leaf, as the name suggests. The tadpoles hatch and drop into the water, where they will grow and undergo metamorphosis. This species is known to occur in less than ten locations in South Africa, all within the Western Cape. One of those sites is Groenvlei, a freshwater lake outside of Sedgefield. Frogs are bio-indicators and can inform us about the health of the environment, with changes in abundance a clear signal about what is happening in the environment. While most frog species are cryptic, the breeding season mating calls offer a chance to estimate population abundance. Each species has a unique call, and using a method called acoustic spatially explicit capture recapture, population estimates can be done. A non-invasive sound recording of the frog orchestra is taken, and using specific programs we can work out when and where individual frogs of each specific species were calling in time and space. This will provide an estimate of the population size within that area. Together with CapeNature the recording has already been made, and we look forward to learning more about the Endangered Knysna leaf-folding frogs at Groenvlei!

Thank you to Dr Minke Witteveen from the Nelson Mandela University for the Article. 

Minke is a post doctoral researcher with the Nelson Mandela University, she is a conservation ecologist with a PHD which focuses on the sustainability of boat-based whale-watching tourism in South Africa.  She is passionate about the natural environment, as well as instilling passion for conservation through environmental education. 

For additional information on the frog visit: https://thebdi.org/2022/03/24/delicate-leaf-folding-frog-afrixalus-delicatus/


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