Sri Lanka, an island country lying off the southeast coast of India, is famous for its different animals. Now, one more can be added to its list: Ranwella’s Spined Tree Frog (polypedates ranwellai). The frog is named after Dr. Sanjeewa Ranwella to honor his dedication towards wildlife conservation in Sri Lanka.
First spotted in 2000, Ranwella’s Frog is only now declared a new species after testing from scientists all over the world to make sure that the frog is unique.
The habitat of this newfound frog is already under threat. Sri Lanka has lost much of its forests as human populations have boomed. Now only 2-3 percent of its primary forest remain. The frog is in further danger, as a proposed construction of a dam would flood its entire habitat, the Gilimale Forest reserve. Logging, mining, and burning down surrounding forests also pose a threat to this new-found species.
Want to learn more? Read the full story here: New rare frog discovered in Sri Lanka, but left wholly unprotected