# A Review of the Scale and Sustainability of the Consumption and Trade of Anuran Species in Africa

## TL;DR

This review examines the scale and sustainability of anuran (frog and toad) collection and trade in Africa, highlighting the need for better monitoring and regulation.

## Contribution

The study compiles and analyzes data from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive overview of anuran use across Africa.

## Key findings

- 131 anuran species are used in Africa, with 31.5% used as food and 2.4% in traditional medicine.
- Larger species are preferred for food, while smaller, colorful ones are traded as pets, especially in Madagascar.
- Current databases miss 28 species, indicating gaps in monitoring anuran use and trade.

## Abstract

Within Africa, collection and trade of anurans is often recorded as single‐site case studies, making it difficult to accurately understand the scale of use, its livelihood importance, and impact on species. We conducted a systematic review to: compile literature on anuran uses in Africa; identify the species and ecoregions involved; and identify gaps and opportunities for monitoring anuran utilisation. From an initial pool of 3335 articles, 85 studies on anuran use were reviewed. We augmented this with data from records on levels of anuran trade within CITES from 2012 to 2021, IUCN redlist, UNdata and WILDMEAT databases. We found 131 amphibian (124 anuran) species belonging to 18 families and 42 genera used within Africa. About 31.5% of species are used as food and 2.4% used in traditional medicine. Another 23.4% are used in multiple ways. Larger‐bodied species, including Hoplobatrachus occipitalis and Pyxicephalus edulis, are most preferred as food, whereas smaller and colourful ones (mostly in the Mantellidae family) are traded as pets. The use of anurans as food and traditional medicine is concentrated in Guineo‐Congolian and Guineo‐Sudanian ecoregions, whilst Madagascar and the Indian Ocean dominates the international pet trade. Wild populations of anuran species are collected mainly by local men and sold to intermediaries to supply food and pet markets. African countries import frog legs more than they export possibly, to supply locally based international restaurants. We identified the inability of most international databases to accurately capture the extent of anuran use with literature review identifying 28 additional species missed by these platforms. Also, there are few scientific studies that quantify the impacts of use on anurans in Africa. Synthesis and applications: We recommend that anuran species collection and trade be incorporated into national biodiversity monitoring plans.

This review article synthesises available data from literature, CITES, IUCN, UNdata and WILDMEAT to highlight the extent of Africa's involvement in anura utilisation. The review also makes suggestions to address unregulated harvesting of wild anuran species, especially as food in Africa.