7 Mar 2025 Hoang Lien National Park, Vietnam, Asia Amphibians
Megophrys fansipanensis and Megophrys hoanglienensis were discovered in 2018 by Tapley et al. (2018) from the Hoang Lien Range, northwestern Vietnam. Since then, no other populations of these species have been discovered. Both Megophrys fansipanensis and Megophrys hoanglienensis are known only from 1,800–2,800 m a.s.l. in the Hoang Lien Range, northwestern Vietnam (Tapley et al., 2018). Both species are listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List (IUCN, 2024) because their extent of occurrence is small in the Hoang Lien Mountain range. The two species have only been reported from forested habitats (Tapley et al., 2018), and like many of their congeners, are likely to be forest-dependent and therefore threatened by deforestation, which is occurring throughout the region (Tachibana and Nguyen, 2001; Sodhi et al., 2009; IUCN, 2024), particularly for cardamom fields in northwestern Vietnam (IUCN, 2024). In addition, tourism activities may be a threat to the species on Mount Fansipan, with littering and habitat loss and modification within the habitat of the species (IUCN, 2021; 2024). However, information on the population status, ecology, and conservation status of these two frogs is lacking.
Our aim is to investigate the population status, distribution, and ecology, as well as achieve the protection of the habitat where these species occur through field surveys. In addition, this project also aims to train forest rangers and young adult members of the local H'Mong community on the importance of frog conservation, using academic and practical approaches. By doing so, we will set a basis of conservation biological knowledge to support forest rangers and local people to take effective conservation measures for these frogs in the future. Moreover, this study will also help to identify the priority sites/habitats for the conservation of the two frogs in northwestern Vietnam. Lastly, we will work closely with the directorates of local communities and other stakeholders in surveying and evaluating conservation measures.