In Cameroon, a man tries to save the Goliath Frog from extinction



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In Cameroon, a man tries to save the Goliath Frog from extinction

The goliath frog is the largest frog in the world. It lives in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, it can reach 30 centimeters in length. It is endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Dr Cedrick Fogwan, biostatistician at the African Marine Mammal Conservation Organization, has launched a project to gather information on this animal.

The goliath frog rescue project is supported by the Conservation Leadership Program (CLP) run by Fauna & Flora International, BirdLife International and the Wildlife Conservation Society. The project is essential for biological balance in riverine and agricultural areas of southwestern Cameroon.

The goliath frog rescue project is supported by the Conservation Leadership Program (CLP) run by Fauna & Flora International, BirdLife International and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

In Cameroon, a man tries to save the Goliath Frog from extinction

Fogwan explained: "The local population will participate in the monitoring as citizen scientists.

Awareness raising activities will be conducted in schools, with the elderly through focus groups and snail farming will be started to diversify the livelihoods of the local population. When I found out that this species was unique, the largest in the world, I told myself that it is something not easily found elsewhere and I was proud of it.The people of the area say they are lucky to have such a thing; they attach cultural value to it." Cedrick Fogwan noted that the animal is highly hunted: in fact, despite being protected by local law, goliath frogs are still poached for domestic consumption but also for sale, given that they represent something curious precisely because of their size.

The goliath frog is an amphibian of the Conrauidae family, widespread in the African countries of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. It is the largest anuran in the world, being able to exceed 30 cm in length and weigh up to three kilos.

Due to their classification as an endangered species, the Equatorial Guinean government has declared that no more than 300 goliaths may be exported per year for the pet trade, but few now seem to be exported from this country.