When the State government announced the institution of the Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund (TNESCF) in its 2024 Budget, a rare frog having a bloated body, pointed snout and stout limbs grabbed space in the posters of the special fund.
The Purple Frog, two species of which are found in unique habitats in Tamil Nadu, are among the many lesser known and endangered species to be covered under the fund.
Believed to have co-existed with dinosaurs, the Purple Frog is often dubbed as a ‘living fossil’, as it has similarities to the Sooglossidae family of frogs in Seychelles, supporting the Gondwana landmass hypothesis.
