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Minh Khoi Biotechnology: Exploring the life and feeding habits of Rhacophorus helenae
Minh Khoi Biotechnology won a Josh’s Frogs 2024 Amphibian Grant for their project, Exploring the life and feeding habits of Rhacophorus helenae. We interviewed their lead researcher, Phuc Chau, to learn more about this project.
How do you plan to use the grant money?
This grant money will be used to fund the herpetological surveys in five locations in the southern Vietnam where the Helen’s Tree Frogs have been found. The survey sites include Ma Da Nature Reserve (NR), Cat Tien National Park (NP), Tan Phu Forest (Thac Mai), Nui Ong Nature Reserve and Binh Chau–Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve. Together, these areas encompass more than one hundred hectares of primary and secondary forests, characterized by a lush monsoon climate. Most of the survey areas are lowland (except for Nui Ong), and they are largely isolated from each other. The only exception is Ma Da and Cat Tien, which remain connected. Notably, Tan Phu Forest is the only area that does not fall within any nature reserve.
The map shows the distribution of the Helen’s tree frog in southern Vietnam (right) with a map of 1965 and 2021. Photo credit: Phuc Hong Chau
Unfortunately, the protected areas are not all well-protected since local people can easily get inside for hunting; plantation and non-native plants are still being grown at the edge of the forests and roads with some pending construction projects seriously threatening the balance of the ecosystem.
The past exploration in the last decade has revealed two endemic species of frog in southern Vietnam including a new species of narrow-mouthed frog (Microhyla minuta) and the Helen’s tree frog. The Helen’s tree frog is still quite stable and frequently recorded by tourists and local people in Ma Da and Tan Phu Forest but the data in other places are not well-recorded with the lack of many other statistics that need to be clarified for conservation purposes such as life and feeding habits. The populations in Nui Ong and Binh Chau–Phuoc Buu nature reserve have only been recorded once with little information and the specimens from Binh Chau–Phuoc Buu are only tadpoles with no adults, there are yet to have any official scientific records in Cat Tien. The fact that the rain tropical forests are still hiding a lot of mystery waiting to be solved makes this more interesting. As part of our surveys, we will attempt to find, photograph, and observe the hidden life and feeding habits of Helen’s tree frog so that we can fully understand their habits and distribution. We have only observed very few populations of the tree frog so far, with no information on their diet to be found yet. We also do not understand much about this species’ life history, and our surveys will help to fill those gaps.
In total, we are hoping to conduct four surveys. Each trip will last five days, with time for each location being one day. Each survey will start and end as the following, in order: Ma Da NR, Cat Tien NP, Thac Mai, Nui Ong NR, and Binh Chau–Phuoc Buu NR. We will cover a large range of habitats, including streams, rivers, forests, ponds, and wetlands. Each survey will have three members including two scientists and one forest ranger. One survey will be conducted during the January-to-May dry season and two will take place during the June-to-November wet season.
Grant funding will also help to provide a better understanding of the diet and predator, population distribution, and ecological niche of the Helen’s tree frog. We are looking forward to finding at least one population in each location with tadpoles and adults to find out about their diet and probably predators, then learn about their behavior, habitat, and other factors to make a complete distribution map with detailed information.
Finally, once the survey work has been finished, we intend to publish a report about the life and feeding habits of Rhacophorus helenae, incorporating all the data we collect, including its distribution and other ecological insights. Besides that, we will also recommend that the authorities enhance the protection of the survey areas and upgrade Tan Phu Forest into a nature reserve.
What does winning this grant allow you to do that you might not have otherwise?
Despite being classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, very little work has been conducted to evaluate its conservation needs or to study the distribution, whose life in the forest remains barely known. Our recent trips there were single day “herping” expeditions that we mainly organized to photograph and record the wildlife in Tan Phu Forest and Ma Da. While valuable in terms of revealing the need for further study, these trips were short and limited in scope. Funding this grant will allow us to conduct the field and laboratory work still needed to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of this famous frog species. As climate change, construction plans, and tourism are still having a big impact on the environment, our window of opportunity is rapidly shrinking. We must act soon before it is too late.
A Helen’s tree frog was found on a small plant next to a puddle. Photo credit: Lan Vu Phuc Phan
When do you expect to see results from this? What are you hoping they look like?
During each survey, we expect to observe 2-3 specimens of adult Helen’s tree frog with a few tadpoles. We will be primarily documenting these frogs with photography and GPS locations, along with notes on their habitat and other relevant details. This initial data will be available shortly after each survey.
We are also hoping to find out the diet using specialized tools designed to extract food from its digestive system without causing any serious harm or danger to its life and if possible to observe its predator. Furthermore, we hope to record the species’ behavior, habitat condition, ecological role, and related issues.
Once we have all the data, we will produce a report about Helen’s tree frog’s diet and predators (if any), ecological niche, and create a comprehensive map of its distribution. We hope to publish this report in an academic journal (and will also make it available to Josh’s Frogs and their customers).
Finally, we recommend the authorities to aware more about little creatures such as the Helen’s tree frog with its significant role in the ecosystem beneath the forest floor and to consider planning more projects to protect the forest where the frogs live and also advocate canceling any road or construction plan that might affect the species and forests.
How will your project impact amphibian conservation?
Our long-term hope is that the report will attract more attention of the public awareness of the endangered Helen’s tree frog and the amphibians in general which will help to strengthen the argument for conservation with local stakeholders and decision-makers, including the provincial government and private companies involved in tourism and resource extraction. Every single species in the forest plays a vital role in balancing the ecosystem including the Helen’s tree frog, it would be great if we could have a full understanding of this elusive species.
What are the larger implications of your work?
The report that we produce at the conclusion of our survey will be used as a valuable resource for a diverse array of herpetologists and other scientists working in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. It will emphasize the critical importance of the Helen’s tree frog to the lowland forest ecosystems of southern Vietnam. Unfortunately, this extraordinary frog remains insufficiently protected and recognized, despite its potential for expanded distribution and the likelihood of new discoveries.
An Asian Vine Snake (Ahaetulla prasina) predating on the Helen’s tree frog on a tree. Photo credit: Y Le Phan
What message or information would you like to share with the reptile and amphibian pet community?
Helen’s tree frog is well known for its endemism, striking beauty, and rarity, yet many aspects of its life remain undiscovered. This arboreal green frog is classified as endangered under IUCN standards. Despite its status, this species persists as relatively unknown to both tourists and locals. In addition to funding this project, we would also like to encourage travelers to come to Vietnam to experience the biodiversity of southern Vietnam in general and the tree frog in particular. There is nothing quite like finding a rare and stunning frog in the enigmatic forests of southern Vietnam during a nighttime herping trip. By promoting ecotourism in Vietnam, you help raise public awareness and support conservation efforts to preserve our precious natural resources.
How would someone make a donation to your organization?
Our company, Minh Khoi Biotechnology, specializes in providing expert guidance on biotechnology, environmental, and agriculture issues. Additionally, if you would like to make a direct donation, to be used for scientific surveys or other conservation-focused projects in Vietnam, funds can be sent to:
Minh Khoi Biotechnology Company Limited
C/O Mrs. Huynh Thi Kim Phuc
24B Kenh Tan Hoa St
Phu Trung Ward
Tan Phu District
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Donations are greatly appreciated.
Where could someone learn more about your project?
Our final report on the life and feeding habits of Rhacophorus helenae will be published in a major academic journal. We will also make the report available to Josh’s Frogs and its customers.
Our findings will also be documented on iNaturalist, which is an excellent tool for both professional scientists and citizen scientists. We have created a project on iNaturalist already and all future observations of the Rhacophorus helenae will appear here.
Anything else you feel we should know or discuss?
A few more details about this grant project that might be of interest to Josh’s Frog customers are that all these locations have exceptionally high biodiversity and some of them hold historical significance from the Vietnam War. Read more about this historical significance here:
Even a poem was written about War Zone D, an area with remarkable historical value in Ma Da and Cat Tien. Read about it here.
Additionally, three locations in Dong Nai—Ma Da, Cat Tien, and Tan Phu Forest—are among the most famous destinations for tourists seeking wildlife experiences. Read more about them here:
Tan Phu Forest
Among the five survey locations, Binh Chau–Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve is also unique for being home to one of the last coastal primary forests in Vietnam. Read about it here.