Kulty Plateau fails to see seasonal spectacle of amphibians raising concerns among greens
Abel Barretto
Canacona: The ponds on Canacona’s Kulty Plateau are full again, the streams are flowing with the onset of monsoon. Yet a seasonal spectacle that once drew thousands of Indian bullfrogs to the plateau for breeding has failed to materialise this year, raising concerns among local residents and environmentalists about the future of the amphibians in the region.
Kulty Plateau, spread across about 60 lakh square metres, has long been regarded as an important breeding ground for the Indian bullfrog. With the arrival of the rains, male and female frogs traditionally converged on the plateau’s water-filled ponds for mating, creating a chorus of croaks that could be heard in surrounding villages.
This year, however, there are no signs of the annual gathering. The ponds contain water, but neither breeding frogs nor their egg clutches have been spotted.
Environmentalist Pradeep Mokhardkar, who lives near Kulty Plateau, said the decline has been noticeable over the years.
“Three decades ago, thousands of Indian bullfrogs would dot these plateaux. Today, not even a hundred arrive for mating,” he said.
He said environmental experts have urged the public not to disturb the species during the monsoon months.
“Protecting the Indian bullfrog is not just about saving a species; it is about preserving the delicate balance of nature,” he said.
Kulty Plateau bears visible signs of human activity. During a recent visit by The Navhind Times, parts of the plateau were found strewn with rusted iron, concrete slabs, metal aggregates, plastic waste, decayed human waste and remnants of construction activity.
Local residents alleged that a ready-mix concrete plant, a hot-mix bitumen plant, labour accommodation and related infrastructure had operated in the area. While machinery has since been removed, residents said large quantities of waste, cement sheets, aggregates and concrete debris remain scattered across the plateau.
They said such conditions are unsuitable for sensitive species such as the Indian bullfrog, which depend on clean seasonal water bodies for breeding.
Environmentalists also pointed to urbanisation, tourism-related activity and the capture of frogs for research and consumption as factors affecting breeding grounds.
Manoj Prabhugaonkar, chairman of the Loliem-Polem Biodiversity Management Committee, said the plateaux of Canacona, including Bhagwati, Madditollop and Kulty, are ecological hotspots that should remain undisturbed.
Prabhugaonkar said each Indian bullfrog consumes large numbers of insects and plays a role in maintaining ecological balance. “If the frogs cease to exist, insect populations will increase exponentially, bringing diseases that were unheard of earlier,” he said.
Mokhardkar said restoring frog populations would require collective action.
“If the population of Indian bullfrogs is to return to the levels seen 30 years ago, each of us has a role to play. We must stop poaching, stop treating sacred plateaux as commercial spaces and preserve them for posterity,” he said.
