JAKAI: THE LUNGLESS FROG OF TNBBBR

The presence of orangutans in Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR) has had a positive impact on many species of fauna and flora in the forest. As an umbrella species, the existence of orangutans in a forest contributes to the preservation of other species that coexist in the same habitat. One of these is the Bornean flat-headed frog (Barbourula kalimantanensis), known locally as jakai, which is the only known frog species in the world to live without lungs.

In July, our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team from Hiran Camp was conducting a patrol on the river when our team members found a jakai sitting on the rocks along the riverbank. This frog is a rare, endemic species that is known to have a very limited distribution in only a few rainforests in Borneo.

The jakai is a medium-sized frog with a body length of about 6.6 cm for males, and 7.7 cm for females. It has a flattened head, wide and rounded muzzle, and stocky body. Its front and hind limbs are covered in a webbed membrane across its fingertips. Devoid of lungs as respiratory organs, this rare frog species breathes fully through its skin.

In Indonesia, the jakai is not a protected species, nor is it included on the Convention on International Trades on Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) list. However, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Bornean flat-headed frog is listed as 'Endangered'.  This means that due to their limited range, they are under threat of extinction due to habitat loss. We need to closely monitor this species and protect the shared forest homes of the jakai and the orangutan to ensure they have a future in the wild!