Conservation Measures and Future Perspectives for Europe’s Most Threatened Frog: The Action Plan for Karpathos Water Frog (Pelophylax cerigensis)
Apostolos Christopoulos, Vassia Spaneli, Dino Protopappas, Panayiotis Pafilis

TL;DR
This paper outlines a conservation plan for the endangered Karpathos water frog, focusing on habitat restoration and public awareness in Greece.
Contribution
The paper introduces a National Action Plan with specific conservation measures for the critically threatened Pelophylax cerigensis.
Findings
Population decline of the Karpathos water frog is linked to climate change and predation by the Levantine freshwater crab.
A dam construction and taxonomic reassessment of a Rhodes population offer hope for the species' conservation.
Artificial ponds and educational programs are proposed to mitigate threats and raise awareness.
Abstract
The Karpathos water frog (Pelophylax cerigensis) was until recently known to occur only on the island of Karpathos, Greece, and is classified as Endangered (EN) by the IUCN. Its survival is seriously threatened by the lack of freshwater habitats in the southern Aegean, a problem that has worsened due to reduced rainfall and higher summer temperatures. Population studies over the last decade show a strong decline in numbers. During the dry summer months, the remaining natural ponds are often shared with the Levantine freshwater crab, which increases frog mortality through predation. Despite these challenges, some positive developments have occurred, including the construction of a dam in southern Karpathos and the recognition of the Rhodes water frog population as the same species. To address the species’ critical status, the Hellenic Herpetological Society developed a National Action…
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Taxonomy
TopicsAmphibian and Reptile Biology · Fish Ecology and Management Studies · Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy
