Researchers in Mangaluru are promoting the use of a progressive web app called Frog Watch as part of the Mapping the Malabar Tree Toad project. This project focuses on a species found only in the Western Ghats and aims to encourage citizen science. So far, the app has recorded 4,863 observations, with a spike in submissions following frog workshops.
Gururaja K V, a batrachologist from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, explained that the Frog Watch app was officially launched at a workshop in Mannapapu Mane, Karkala, last month. The app allows users to map amphibians across India by submitting photographs, call records, and videos. It is an easy-to-use app linked to the India biodiversity portal, where a team of experts monitor and assist users with species identification and mapping.
The app’s purpose is to instill interest in biodiversity among the general public by helping them identify species. Additionally, the information collected through the app aids in understanding the distribution, ecology, and threats faced by species. The app includes features such as a “help identify” checkbox where experts respond to posts, more than 20 overall features, and the option for geo-privacy to protect the exact location of sightings, which is only shared with logged-in users.
Over 100 people have contributed to the Malabar Tree Toad project observations. Prabhakar and Thomas Vattakaven from the India Biodiversity Portal led the development of the app. The project is a collaborative effort involving researchers from the Metastring Foundation, the Centre for Ecological Sciences, and Gururaja K V. It is financially supported by The Habitats Trust grant. Gururaja emphasized the advantage of Frog Watch’s extensive features, as well as the fact that it operates under a Creative Commons license, which is unique in India.
