EXPLORING THE DIVERSITY AND HABITAT PREFERENCES OF ANURAN SPECIES IN SOHAGIBARWA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Despite the widespread recognition of protected area coverage and the need of conserving iconic species, non-charismatic species, like anurans, are mostly ignored by conservation initiatives and regulations.The expansion of agriculture and anthropogenic activities causes habitat loss and fragmentation that negatively affects biodiversity. Weanalysed the diversity and habitat preferences of anuran species in Sohagibarwa wildlife sanctuary in June - November, 2023 and 2024. Twenty-one Anuran species, belonging to 9 genera and 4 families, were recorded.To create a species list, the areas species diversity was assessed using the Visual Encounter Surveys approach.Their preferred habitats include permanent or temporary aquatic bodies, residential locations, wooded areas, termite nests, tree holes, log voids, and more. The results of the study suggest that the area has moderate level of anurans species diversity. The study may serve as a first step in setting up baseline data for the Anurans checklist, which may then be expanded to include all herpetofauna and other diversity.