India: An Amphibian Hotspot

In this talk on Thursday, Apr. 25, Harvard Radcliffe Fellow and University of Delhi, India Professor S. D. Biju discusses his thirty years of research on the frogs of India and Asia and highlights the key role that scientists play in the conservation of species. Scientists estimate that only 30% of Earth’s biodiversity–including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi–is known. Due to human activities, habitats across the world are changing or being destroyed. As a result, an increasing number of organisms are threatened or on the brink of extinction–even before they have been documented or described. Amphibians—a group that includes frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts—are particularly vulnerable to habitat changes, pollution, and drought, and species in this group are becoming extinct at alarming rates.

After the lecture, visit Harvard Museum of Natural History to see an exhibit of S. D. Biju’s frog photographs, and join ArtsThursdays—a free event featuring art-making activities and a cash bar. Registration is required for in-person and virtual attendees. This lecture is free and open to the public, and free event parking is available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage. This event is presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.