Why you should stop eating Mountain Chicken?

Dominica: According to IUCN Red List, for many years, there is a vast consumption of Mountain chicken or Giant Ditch Frog that made it a critically endangered species. It was widely consumed in Dominica and Montserrat.

Story of Mountain chicken:

People of Dominica loves mountain chicken. Tourists visit here to have this special chicken, which is not a chicken but a frog species. Its scientific name is Leptodactylus fallax; this frog is found in Dominica and Montserrat’s island.

Critically endangered frog is valued for its meaty and fleshy legs, which are cooked traditionally in Dominica. Because of its small brood size, it is effortless to hunt it down. Removal of breeding females is significantly disrupting, as the tadpoles are dependent on female frogs for nutrition and moisture. Besides this, the frog’s large size, loud calls, tendency to sit wide open in the lands makes it an easy scapegoat for hunters. There is a prohibition on hunting of critically endangered species in Dominica.

Reasons for decline in the population

Initially, the Giant Ditch Frog species population declined because of hunting it for Human Consumption. After then its population starts decreasing because of natural disasters and habitat loss. Reports stated that the number of species declined 80 percent from the year 1995 to 2004. According to recent reports, in the year 2002, these frogs undergoes fungal disease, which resulted in rapid disruption of mountain chicken. According to the survey, fungal infection is the main reason for the decline in this frog population. Ninety percent of the population is declined due to the reasons mentioned above.

Project to save Mountain Chicken

Giant Ditch Frog was a national dish. Dominica and Montserrat widely consumed it before it was claimed as critically endangered. After a drastic decrease in population, Dominicans started taking precautions to preserve the species. To save mountain chickens, there is a project for the preservation of mountain chickens.

Scientific research underpinning decisions conduct the project on surveys and invasions required to guarantee this species’ long-term survival. There is continuous research on the emergence, epidemiology, and impact of chytridiomycosis in mountain chickens. On Dominica, this project is imposing the current population and infection status of the mountain chicken population. Researchers are optimistic about the future of Mountain Chicken.

Encapsulated, Consumption of animals is a part of the natural food chain that sustains living beings’ lifecycle. Similarly, animals or plants which are present geographically meant for the source of Consumption by humans. But, with the increasing population rate of Consumption also increases. Consequently, this results in the endangered of some species, which should be reduced.

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