MARGAO: Despite tough Forest Department laws to keep a check on frog poaching and the constant hunting of these monsoon visitors and passing of the fried delicacies clandestinely coded as ‘jumping chicken’ has infuriated wildlife activists in the State. The amphibians are hunted down poaches during the breeding season.
Frog meat has a huge demand in the State with and as a result poachers venture into fields and forests during the monsoon to catch and sell them.
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Crusaders are now calling for a pan-Goa campaign with the involvement of village panchayats too to help the create mass awareness on how the amphibian species serve humans best in the wild and not on a platter.
The relentless downpour brought relief from the sweltering heat, but it also heralded a visitor – frogs. As the amphibians emerged in droves, hopping across fields and gardens, environmentalists sounded the alarm. Roland Martins, the coordinator of GOACAN, a local environmental organization, knew all too well the threat these unassuming creatures faced.
“Frogs are an integral part of Goa’s ecological fabric. They’ve been woven into our culture for generations, celebrated in poems and songs. Yet, their numbers are dwindling at an alarming rate,” Martins explained.
The culprit? Greed and ignorance. A growing demand for “jumping chicken” – a euphemism for frog legs – had turned these harmless creatures into a sought-after delicacy, served to unsuspecting tourists along the coast.
Martins shook his head, dismayed by the trend. “Hundreds of frogs are slaughtered for this so-called delicacy, disrupting the fragile ecosystem.”
Recently, the Pissornem Forest Department officials nabbed two locals from Velim under the Wildlife Protection Act for allegedly poaching frogs in Quitol, Quepem. Four frogs were found in their possession. Despite knowing poaching is illegal, demand for frog mea remains high during the monsoons in Goa.
The Forest Department, acknowledged the challenge. “We’re monitoring activity outside notified forest areas, especially agricultural fields where frogs are abundant,” a senior official stated. “Within forest areas, checks are regularly done.”
However, enforcement alone isn’t enough according to Martins, who believes that education is the key to fostering a deeper appreciation for these unsung heroes of nature. “Frogs are vital for controlling mosquito populations and preventing vector-borne diseases. Killing them is an ecological crime against the food chain,” he asserted.
