Conraua goliath
– Endangered
Taxonomy
|
Kingdom:
|
ANIMALIA
|
|
Phylum:
|
CHORDATA
|
|
Class:
|
AMPHIBIA
|
|
Order:
|
ANURA
|
|
Family:
|
RANIDAE
|
|
Scientific Name:
|
Conraua goliath
|
|
Species Authority:
|
(Boulenger, 1906)
|
|
Common Name/s:
|
GOLIATH FROG (Eng)
|
Assessment Information
|
Red List Category & Criteria:
|
EN A2d+3d ver 3.1 (2001)
|
|
Year Assessed:
|
2004
|
|
Assessor/s:
|
Amiet, J.-L.
|
|
Evaluator/s:
|
Stuart, S., Chanson, J. & Cox, N. (Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team)
|
|
Justification:
|
Listed as Endangered because the number of mature individuals is believed to have declined by more than 50% over the last three generations because of harvesting for food, and it is projected to decline by a similar amount over the next three generations. A generation is assumed to be approximately five years.
|
|
History:
|
| 1986 | - | Vulnerable (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986) |
| 1988 | - | Vulnerable (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988) |
| 1990 | - | Vulnerable (IUCN 1990) |
| 1994 | - | Vulnerable (Groombridge 1994) |
| 1996 | - | Vulnerable (Baillie and Groombridge 1996) |
|
Geographic Range
|
Range Description:
|
The world's largest frog is known only from south-western Cameroon from the region of Nkongsamba, and south to Monte Alen in mainland Equatorial Guinea. It is generally found at low to medium altitudes, below 1,000 m asl.
|
|
Range Map:
|
 (click for detailed map)
|
|
Countries:
|
Native:
Cameroon; Equatorial Guinea
Uncertain presence and origin:
Gabon
|
Population
|
Population:
|
It has decreased significantly as a result of harvesting for food.
|
|
Population Trend:
|
|
Habitat and Ecology
|
Habitat and Ecology:
|
It lives in or near fast-flowing rivers and streams in rainforest, preferring warmer, slower rivers than Conraua robusta, though faster rivers than C. crassipes. It can survive in secondary habitats close to rivers, as well as in forest, but not in very heavily degraded areas (farm bush). Breeding occurs in streams and small rivers. The young rest by flowing water during the day. Around Nkongsamba in western Cameroon, C. goliath, C. crassipes and C. robusta occur sympatrically.
|
|
System:
|
Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine
|
Threats
|
Threats:
|
The most important threat to this species is hunting for food, and new, sophisticated traps for catching this species are now being used in the Nkongsamba area of Cameroon. Animals are also imported from Cameroon to the USA on a regular basis by animal dealers for zoos, the pet trade and competitive frog races (one estimate of this trade is 300 animals per year). It is also adversely affected by the loss of forest habitat for agriculture, logging, and human settlements, as well as by sedimentation of its breeding streams.
|
Conservation Actions
|
Conservation Actions:
|
It presumably occurs in several protected areas, and is confirmed from Monte Alen National Park in Equatorial Guinea. Measures are needed to work with local communities to manage the harvest at sustainable levels. A captive-breeding programme should be considered.
|
