Thrissur: Rain commences, so does the festival season for frogs. This monsoon, the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) is launching ‘Monsoon Croaks BioBlitz’, a citizen science drive for mapping frog species in the state. People from all ages can participate in the survey, which will be conducted by the Centre for Citizen Science and Biodiversity Informatics. 

Around 41 per cent of the world's frogs face the threat of extinction. Many challenges such as unseasonal rainfall, climate change, habitat loss and water pollution due to the presence of plastic are affecting the survival of this species.

The situation of more than 200 species in Kerala is no different. Although their main habitats are forests, frogs are also found in farmlands, plantations and backyards. Several frog species, including the endangered Purple frogs, are often spotted beyond their protected habitats, researchers said.