Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 192522705

Secrets and survival: research and conservation of the Table Mountain Ghost Frog

Although 70% of the species' 9 km2 range lies within a National Park it is considered Critically Endangered and poorly protected because all six streams are under threat, primarily as a result of water abstraction, erosion from path development and overuse, and the spread of invasive alien woody plants in riparian habitat. The species has also disappeared from two streams on Table Mountain in the last 40 years as a result of habitat destruction. Despite this, there is no data on the species' habitat requirements, population size or occupancy, nor any long-term monitoring of its specialized habitat.

Our project therefore aims to address some of these gaps and comprises five objectives:

• 1. Improve the understanding of the habitat requirements, occupancy, and population dynamics, of the Table Mountain Ghost Frog, as well as baseline ecological data on the specific habitat this species occupies. 
• 2. Identify and quantify the nature and extent of the threats facing critical habitat areas. 
• 3. Develop a Species Action Plan based on the outcomes of (1) and (2) to identify conservation interventions necessary to address priority threats. 
• 4. Raise awareness among the general public around this iconic species and the threats it faces 
• 5. In collaboration with key partners, initiate implementation of at least one intervention to address the primary threats impacting riparian habitat (i.e. invasive alien plant removal). These objectives will provide us with the necessary data, conservation frameworks and partnerships to successfully implement conservation objectives.