Quick answer: Karnataka has named the Malabar tree toad (Pedostibes tuberculosus), a tree-climbing toad found only in the Western Ghats, as its state amphibian. Reports in early November 2026 said the state’s Forest, Ecology and Environment Department had signed the order, and described Karnataka as the first Indian state to adopt an official amphibian.
Why the Malabar tree toad is in the news
The decision has been building for some time. On 22 May 2026, the International Day for Biological Diversity, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said the process was under way to designate the Indian honeybee (Apis cerana) as the state insect and the Malabar tree toad as the state amphibian, according to Deccan Chronicle. ETV Bharat reported that the Karnataka Biodiversity Board had recommended both species in 2020-21 after talks with agricultural scientists, IISc ecologists, amphibian specialists and state officials. The formal order followed in early November 2026.
The idea came from Prof. K.V. Gururaja, an amphibian researcher now at the Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Bengaluru. He first proposed the toad as Karnataka’s official frog.
Is Karnataka really the first state?
News reports describe it as a national first, and we found no government order from any other state naming a state amphibian. One online list names the Malabar gliding frog as Kerala’s state amphibian, but it cites no official order. Kerala did come close: its Wildlife Advisory Board considered naming the purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis) as the state’s official amphibian, but Deccan Herald reported that the proposal was kept in abeyance after the Chief Minister raised doubts. Aspirants should remember Karnataka as the first state as reported, and watch for any official correction.
Key facts about the Malabar tree toad
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pedostibes tuberculosus Gunther, 1876 |
| Family | Bufonidae (true toads) |
| Genus | Monotypic: the only species in Pedostibes |
| Range | Endemic to the Western Ghats (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) |
| Size | Adults about 3.6 to 3.85 cm; females larger than males |
| IUCN Red List | Least Concern (2023 assessment) |
- A toad that climbs: Most toads in the region live on the ground, but this one climbs and lives in trees, sheltering in wet tree hollows.
- Breeds on the ground: It comes down to breed in pools along stream edges formed by monsoon rain, and lays eggs in foam nests rather than strings.
- Lost and found: Described in 1876, it went unseen for over 100 years until it was rediscovered in Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, in 1980, according to Down To Earth.
- Citizen science changed its status: Prof. Gururaja told ETV Bharat that sightings by citizens showed the toad is spread across much of the Western Ghats, which led to its status being revised from Endangered to Least Concern.
Threats and why a state tag helps
A 2024 study reported by Down To Earth, based on 655 sightings, warned that climate change could shrink the toad’s range inside protected areas by up to 68.7% by 2061-2080 under several future climate scenarios. Damming, water diversion and changes to perennial streams threaten its breeding sites. Experts quoted by ETV Bharat said the state symbol could make the species a factor in environmental impact assessments for dams, tunnels and other projects in its range.
The toad joins Karnataka’s other symbols: sandalwood (state tree), the elephant (state animal), the Indian roller (state bird) and the southern birdwing (state butterfly).
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- State symbols are a staple of static GK: pair Karnataka with its tree, animal, bird, butterfly and now amphibian.
- The Western Ghats are a global biodiversity hotspot; questions often ask which species are endemic to them.
- Questions may test the difference between frogs and toads, or the meaning of “monotypic genus”.
Practice MCQs
Q1. Karnataka’s newly declared state amphibian is:
(a) Purple frog (b) Malabar gliding frog (c) Malabar tree toad (d) Indian bullfrog
Answer: (c) – Pedostibes tuberculosus was chosen as the state amphibian.
Q2. The Malabar tree toad was rediscovered in 1980 in:
(a) Silent Valley National Park (b) Bandipur National Park (c) Kudremukh National Park (d) Periyar Tiger Reserve
Answer: (a) – It was found again in Silent Valley, Kerala, after more than a century.
Q3. Which of these is Karnataka’s state bird?
(a) Great hornbill (b) Indian roller (c) Indian peafowl (d) Sarus crane
Answer: (b) – Minister Khandre listed the Indian roller as the state bird.
Q4. The genus Pedostibes is described as monotypic. This means it:
(a) has only one species (b) has no fossil record (c) lives only on one island (d) is extinct in the wild
Answer: (a) – The Malabar tree toad is the only living species in the genus.
Frequently asked questions
Which state declared the Malabar tree toad its state amphibian?
Karnataka. Reports in early November 2026 said the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department had signed the order.
Is Karnataka the first Indian state to have a state amphibian?
It has been reported as the first. Kerala had considered the purple frog, but that proposal was kept in abeyance.
Where is the Malabar tree toad found?
Only in the Western Ghats, in forests of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, usually near streams.
What is unusual about this toad?
Unlike most toads, it climbs and lives in trees, coming down to streams only to breed.
What is its IUCN status?
Least Concern, according to the 2023 IUCN assessment. It was earlier listed as Endangered.
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Sources: Deccan Chronicle, ETV Bharat, Down To Earth, Deccan Herald, Wikipedia (IUCN 2023 citation). Facts as reported up to 7 November 2026.
Featured image background: Girish Gowda / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
