Suwon Tree Frog Found for the First Time This Year in Pyeongri Fields

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon City announced on the 8th that the Suwon tree frog, an endangered species, was found for the first time this year in Pyeongri Fields in Pyeongri-dong, Suwon.

Amphibian and reptile specialists from the City's Environmental Policy Division and the Suwon Environmental Movement Center discovered two Suwon tree frogs (one male and one female) as a result of monitoring Pyeongri Fields in Pyeongri-dong, Gwonseon-gu on the 3rd.

The city had conducted 10 monitoring sessions in Pyeongri Fields through June. The Suwon tree frog was discovered for the first time during the 11th monitoring session.

The Suwon tree frog, endemic to Korea, was first collected by Japanese amphibian scholar Kuramoto Mitsuru in 1977 from a rice paddy in front of the Suwon National Institute of Agricultural Sciences. Recognizing its unique call as a new species, it was named the 'Suwon tree frog' in 1980.

The species measures 2.5 cm to 4 cm in size. The dorsal surface has an irregular pattern of dark green or dark brown on a green or yellowish-green background. The ventral surface is white. It was designated as a Class 1 Endangered Protected Species by the Ministry of Environment in 2012. Currently, it has been confirmed to inhabit in small numbers in rice paddies in the Gyeonggi Bay area, including Paju, Gyeonggi Province; Jungdeok, North Chungcheong Province; and Asan, South Chungcheong Province.

Meanwhile, the city supported farming efforts on the 8th by weeding rice paddies in Pyeongri Fields together with some 40 officials from the Suwon Environmental Education Network.

Suwon City began the 'Ecological Management Project for Suwon Tree Frog Conservation' in Pyeongri Fields starting this year. The ecological management project involves farming using eco-friendly methods in Pyeongri Fields to increase the population of the endangered Suwon tree frog. The goal is to maintain the habitat environment of the Suwon tree frog and preserve its living space.