Loja Rocket Frog
EN

Loja Rocket Frog

Hyloxalus elachyhistus

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyloxalus_elachyhistus

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Loja Rocket Frog faces severe habitat degradation from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in Ecuador's southern Andes. Mining activities and infrastructure development have fragmented its already limited montane forest habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for this amphibian's breeding success in cloud forest environments.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits montane cloud forests and humid Andean slopes between 1,800-2,400 meters elevation in southern Ecuador. It requires areas with consistent moisture, dense vegetation cover, and suitable breeding sites near streams or temporary water bodies.

Other threatened species in Dendrobatidae

Turquoise-bellied poison-arrow frogVU

Turquoise-bellied poison-arrow frog

Epipedobates espinosai

Unknown
EN

Lehmann's Rocket Frog

Hyloxalus lehmanni

Unknown
Colostethus ruthveniEN

Colostethus ruthveni

Unknown
EN

Urrao Rocket Frog

Hyloxalus breviquartus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Loja Rocket Frog classified as Endangered?
Loja Rocket Frog is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Loja Rocket Frog faces severe habitat degradation from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in Ecuador's southern Andes. Mining activities and infrastructure development have fragmented its already limited montane forest habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for this amphibian's breeding success in cloud forest environments.
Where does Loja Rocket Frog live?
Loja Rocket Frog occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Loja Rocket Frog?
The main threats to Loja Rocket Frog are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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