A team of researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has recorded a new species of forest-dwelling horned frog from the Talle Wildlife Sanctuary in the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh.
It has been named Xenophrys apatani after the dominant Apatani community in recognition of their ingenuity in the conservation of wild flora and fauna.
The discovery of Xenophrys apatani underscores India’s rich biodiversity and highlights the importance of rigorous taxonomic studies in understanding our natural heritage.
Apatani tribe
The Apatani, or Tanw, also known by Apa and Apa Tani, are a tribal group of people living in the Ziro valley in the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh in India.
UNESCO has proposed the Apatani valley for inclusion as a World Heritage Site for its “extremely high productivity” and “unique” way of preserving the ecology.
They have two major festivals – Dree and Myoko.
