CR

Khasi Hill Rock Toad

Bufoides meghalayanus

Declining

Overview

Bufoides meghalayanus is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae, the true toads. It is also known as the Mawblang toad, rock toad, or Khasi Hills toad. It is endemic to northeastern India where it is known from Meghalaya and Mizoram. However, records from Mizoram may represent an undescribed species, and this species might have a very restricted range in the Khasi Hills near Cherrapunji.

Bufoides meghalayanus faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and habitat conversion in the Eastern Himalayas, where its extremely limited range makes it vulnerable to local extinctions. Mining activities and infrastructure development in Meghalaya have fragmented its forest habitat, while agricultural expansion continues to reduce available breeding sites. The species' dependence on specific microhabitat conditions in primary forest streams makes it particularly susceptible to environmental changes and pollution from human activities.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered toad inhabits primary tropical montane forests in the Eastern Himalayas, specifically in Meghalaya, India. It requires pristine forest streams and associated riparian vegetation at elevations between 1,000-1,500 meters, where it depends on clean water sources for breeding and specific microhabitat conditions for survival.

Forest· majorForest - Temperate· majorRocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservationLinked enterprises & livelihood alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Khasi Hill Rock Toad classified as Critically Endangered?
Khasi Hill Rock Toad is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Bufoides meghalayanus faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and habitat conversion in the Eastern Himalayas, where its extremely limited range makes it vulnerable to local extinctions. Mining activities and infrastructure development in Meghalaya have fragmented its forest habitat, while agricultural expansion continues to reduce available breeding sites. The species' dependence on specific microhabitat conditions in primary forest streams makes it particularly susceptible to environmental changes and pollution from human activities.
Where does Khasi Hill Rock Toad live?
Khasi Hill Rock Toad occurs in India. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Khasi Hill Rock Toad?
The main threats to Khasi Hill Rock Toad are 3.2, 5.4, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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