MALABAR TREE TOAD (MTT) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Climate change may decrease the distribution range of the Malabar Tree Toad (MTT) by up to 69% of the current estimated distribution in India’s protected areas (PAs), according to a study conducted by a concerned group of citizens and scientists.

Malabar Tree Toad (MTT)

• About: MTT is endemic to India's Western Ghats, a unique region known for its biodiversity.
• Monotypic Genus: MTT is the only species in the monotypic genus Pedostibes, meaning it is the sole representative of this genus.
• Arboreal Species: It is the only arboreal toad species in India, capable of climbing trees, unlike most ground-dwelling toads in the region.
• Discovery: First discovered in 1876, MTT was not seen for over 100 years and was 
• Rediscovered in: 1980 at Silent Valley National Park in Kerala.
• Distribution: The species is nearly widespread across the Western Ghats.
• Threat: A changing climate has endangered many species in the Western Ghats, a recognized global biodiversity hotspot.

o The Western Ghats host 252 amphibian species, with 17 critically endangered and 40 classified as ‘data deficient.’

o Globally, 40.7% of amphibians (8,011 species) are the most threatened vertebrates due to human activities like agriculture, infrastructure development, and harvesting.

• Conservation Status: IUCN - Endangered