A Mating Marvel

On July 1st, 2023, six of us attended a 2-day Field Techniques Workshop on Camera Trapping for estimating wildlife populations, conducted by the Holematthi Nature Foundation at Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology. Six strangers. Some attended the workshop to monitor wildlife movement on their farms and plantations, some to build their resumes in conservation, and some like me, just for the passion. We learnt the different statistical methods used to estimate wildlife populations based on species-specific factors. We gained hands-on field experience in deploying camera traps, operating them, collecting data, and analysing the results to draw meaningful inferences. We also heard about the on-ground realities and challenges faced by the team, while enjoying some thrilling and funny anecdotes straight from the field. Post-dinner, the Kalinga team organised a herping walk for us, in the nearby forested area. 

After herping for roughly an hour, we finally had some time to sit around and get to know each other. It was pouring. We settled down under a shelter, sharing our experiences, discussing the Western Ghats, king cobras, and most things wildlife, even as water dripped from the sheet over us. And after some 45 minutes, at around 11:30pm, we decided to retire for the night and made our way back to the tents.

Just as our eyes were shutting, the doctoral students who were about to head out on their regular nightly research expedition, called out to us! We quickly grabbed our torches, slipped our footwear back on and hurried to the spot. There, we got to observe one of nature's fascinating processes – the mating behaviour of the Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus malbaricus).

During the monsoon, the Western ghats witness a remarkable phenomenon displayed by one of its fascinating, endemic species. Between June and September, male Malabar gliding frogs sit streamside and emit calls in an attempt to attract females. Upon successfully attracting a female, the mating process begins.

The female carefully chooses a leaf on a branch overhanging a water body, where the mating will take place by ‘amplexus’ (amplexus is the mating position of frogs and toads, in which the male clasps the female about the back with his forelimbs). Males are significantly smaller than females. He hugs and holds on to her while she rubs his back with her hind limbs, triggering the release of seminal fluid, into which she lays her eggs. They constantly beat their legs in circular motion to form a foamy nest. Once this process is completed, the male moves on to rest while the female stays back, uses her feet to pull the foamy mess together and organises the surrounding leaves to build a protective covering (Pics 3, 4 & 5). The female too, sleeps after finishing the nest-building activity. Embryos then develop within this foam nest. After about 5-7 days, tadpoles hatch and drop directly into the water beneath, thereby increasing their odds of survival. The monsoon rains play an important role during this stage by washing the foamy nest and facilitating the tadpoles’ journey to water.

We were extremely lucky to witness most of the mating process, and capped off a long, eventful day of learning with being witness to a spectacle of the natural world. 

The next day, we saw a Checkered Keelback (Fowlea piscator) in the pond beneath, which provided a glimpse into the sequel in the larger picture called “nature”.