Rare Native Frog Species Successfully Added To S’pore Botanic Gardens As NParks Species Recovery Programme
Photo by Daniel Ng via NParks
If you happen to visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens and spotted some bright orange frog, you might have spotted the nocturnal Cinnamon Bush Frog which is consider a vulnerable species according to the Singapore Red Data Book. The National Parks Board (NParks) has increased its population after expanding more forested area under the NParks Species Recovery Programme.
The forest which has a multi-layered ecosystem of ferns, herbs, climbers, shrubs and trees which helps to lower the temperature of the environment and keeping it cool and humid which are the optimal condition for the Cinnamon Bush Frog and to ensure the environment is suitable for the species, artificial phytotelms or water cavities were installed in the Rain Forest area to provide the frogs with a suitable habitat. The Botanic Garden’s Rain Forest area is also one of the last remaining primary forests in Singapore.
The pilot which lasted from Dec 2017 to March 2018 where seven adult Cinnamon Bush Frogs and 40 tadpoles were released into the Rain Forest by NParks. The pilot which was a success as the frogs started to breed a few months later. Egg and tadpoles were observed in some artificial phytotelms which the frogs have been breeding regularly in the Rain Forest.
These amphibians are natural biological indicator where they are highly sensitive to environmental changes and with its success in our forest, it will encourage the future survival of this vulnerable species but also the health of Singapore’s natural ecosystem. The Species Recovery Plan also includes other rare species such as Singapore Freshwater crab and the Straw headed bulbul.
Photo by Daniel Ng via NParks 
Photo by Daniel Ng via NParks