Photo: Long-toed Tree Frog Leptopelis xenodactylus © Keir Lynch, Anura Africa
Anura Africa is a South African-based non-profit focused on amphibian conservation across Africa. We work to protect threatened frog species and their habitats through science-based, landscape-level strategies. Our projects combine cutting-edge research, local partnerships, and capacity building for conservation impact. We prioritise mentorship, community engagement, and storytelling to drive awareness and action. By focussing on African leadership and collaboration, we aim to create lasting resilience for species and ecosystems.
In just twelve months, Anura Africa has established a robust operational foundation, built partnerships with over ten institutions and organisations, and directly contributed to conservation research and species recovery efforts. Building on our ‘Local is Lekker’ approach, we have initiated new projects focused on some of South Africa’s most threatened frog species and worked to develop novel techniques for measuring conservation impact – with a view to scaling this to other species and regions. Our work has spanned strategic planning, cutting-edge monitoring technologies, and the mentorship of young scientists—many of whom are shaping the next generation of amphibian research in Africa.
Within our first year of operation, we have registered as a Non-profit Company and with the South African Revenue Services as a VAT-exempt entity. We have secured $100,000 to directly implement amphibian conservation and avoiding organizational overheads. Our contributions to conservation and research include updated Red List assessments for 246 frog species from 10 countries within southern Africa. We’ve supported four MSc and three PhD students, with projects focused on southern African species, and co-authored nine research outputs. We’ve directly engaged over 1700 people through events and education and have grown our social media following to over 3000 people.
Anura Africa project site – Giants Cup Wilderness © Keir Lynch Anura Africa
We’ve also launched two flagship species projects – on the Endangered Long-toed Tree Frog, Leptopelis xenodactylus (our logo species!) and the Endangered Micro Frog, Microbatrachella capensis. Both of these projects aim to carry out species-specific conservation actions based on improved knowledge of the species’ ecology and the roll-out of novel monitoring techniques to build baseline knowledge of both species and habitat condition dynamics. We are also working with several partners on urban ecology projects focused on threatened species in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, namely the Endangered Pickersgill’s Reed Frog, Hyperolius pickersgilli, and Kloof Frog, Natalobatrachus bonebergi.
Our partnerships include Amphibian Survival Alliance (where we serve on the Global Council), IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group (where Dr Jeanne Tarrant is the regional Chair), Bionerds, the Endangered Wildlife Trust, Re:Wild, Kenya Herpetology Tours, Nature Group International, Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area and Wildlife ACT. We are also associated with North-West University, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Cardiff University, and University of Liverpool.
You can learn more about these milestones and more in the newly published Anura Africa Annual Report HERE.