Voice of Nature (VoNat) is pleased to announce that its Executive Director, Ndimuh Bertrand Shancho, has been admitted as a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) following the approval of his membership application by the ASG Secretariat on 23 July 2026.
The appointment marks an important milestone for both Ndimuh and VoNat, strengthening the organization’s contribution to global amphibian conservation. The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group is a worldwide network of scientists, conservation practitioners, educators, policymakers, and students working together to advance the conservation of amphibians and their habitats. In its official welcome, the ASG Secretariat recognized that Ndimuh’s “knowledge, skills, experience, and passion will be valuable contributions to our collective efforts to better understand, protect, and conserve amphibian diversity.”
Since 2021, Ndimuh has led amphibian conservation initiatives through VoNat, focusing primarily on the Endangered Goliath Frog (Conraua goliath) in the Mount Nlonako and Mount Muanengouba Key Biodiversity Areas. The programme has combined species-focused field research, ecological surveys, participatory mapping, threat assessments, habitat conservation and restoration, citizen science, community engagement, and environmental education to strengthen protection of the frog’s critical breeding habitats and promote local stewardship.
Building on this work, VoNat has expanded its amphibian conservation efforts to the Mount Cameroon Key Biodiversity Area, where it is supporting the conservation of threatened species including the Buea Egg Frog (Leptodactylodon bueanus), the Small-tongued Toad (Werneria preussi), and the Decorated Running Frog (Kassina decorata) through biodiversity surveys, species documentation, habitat conservation, ecological monitoring, and community-based conservation initiatives. Plans are also underway to extend these efforts to the Mount Mbam Key Biodiversity Area in western Cameroon, targeting additional threatened amphibians, including Leptodactylodon perreti and Astylosternus rheophilus.
As a member of the Specialist Group, Ndimuh will contribute to regional and global amphibian conservation priorities by collaborating with international experts, sharing conservation experiences, participating in specialist meetings and working groups, and supporting research and conservation initiatives that address the global amphibian extinction crisis.
Commenting on the appointment, Ndimuh said, “I am honoured to join the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group and contribute to a global network committed to conserving amphibians and their habitats. This opportunity strengthens VoNat’s mission to advance science-based, community-led conservation while amplifying Cameroon’s contribution to global amphibian conservation.”
The appointment further reinforces VoNat’s growing leadership in amphibian conservation and creates new opportunities for international collaboration, research, capacity building, and evidence-based conservation to safeguard Cameroon’s globally significant amphibian diversity.