Researchers made a stunning discovery in the cloud forests of Peru, but also sounded warnings about the future of their find.
What's happening?
According to Mongabay, researchers in Peru's San Martín cloud forests discovered a new species of tiny frog.
They dubbed the new frog "Shunku Sacha," which means "heart of the forest" in Kichwa-Lamista. It's just 2 to 3 centimeters long, with dark brown coloring and green irises.
They have been found only in two remote cloud forests in the region, deep within the old-growth forests.
The frogs avoided detection by living in some of the most unique and remote ecosystems in the world; their mountainous habitats make them hard to reach and harder still to study properly.
"Because these are isolated hills, they act like islands with unique ecosystems in which such species live," said Ernesto Castillo, a herpetologist at Ararankha and the lead author of an associated study in the journal Salamandra.
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Unfortunately for scientists, their celebration was tempered by the fact that the new frog species is already under threat.
Why is this important?
The Shunku Sacha's native habitat, old-growth cloud forests atop the Peruvian Andes, is at risk.
Their habitats cover just 20,000 acres in the mountains, which are vulnerable to deforestation and a changing climate.
As agricultural land expands, it destroys forests like the ones Shunku Sacha relies on to survive. Temperatures rise, and lands become drier, threatening unique ecosystems like these forests.
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Definitely 👍 According to Mongabay, 60% of the forest cover on which the Shunku Sacha relies has been lost to deforestation driven by small-scale cacao and coffee farming, livestock grazing, and illegal logging.
"The greatest challenge is ensuring the protection of the biocorridor," said Kenneth Mori Ríos, president of the Sacha Runa Ecological Association.
"It's a dream we have: to see this entire area free from environmental crimes so that the species being discovered can endure over time. We hope that, with the support of our authorities and partners, we can make this dream a reality."
What's being done to protect the frog's habitat?
Most of the protection for the frog and its habitat has come from the local community.
A team of 30 volunteers helps oversee conservation efforts, while community members patrol the area as part of a renewable 40-year agreement to also provide environmental education and build awareness.
They're also working to supplement potential income losses through biotourism and craftwork.
"After all the effort we've put in, we can say that more women have joined this research," said artisan and community monitor Carolina Zumba Tananta.
"We can now say that, as women, we're able to go out, face challenges and achieve results. We put love into everything we do, and as artisans, we incorporate into each piece all the conservation work we've been doing."
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