CR

Lehmann's Poison Frog

Oophaga lehmanni

Declining

Overview

Lehmann's poison frog or the red-banded poison frog is a species of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to a small part of western Colombia. Its natural habitats are submontane tropical rainforests. It is threatened by habitat loss and collection for the pet trade, and the IUCN lists it as being "critically endangered". It was named after Colombian conservation biologist Federico Carlos Lehmann.

Oophaga lehmanni faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development in its limited Colombian range. The species is further imperiled by collection for the illegal pet trade, as its striking coloration makes it highly sought after, and climate change impacts on its specialized montane forest habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

Endemic to the humid montane cloud forests of the western Cordillera in Colombia, typically found at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters. The species inhabits dense, moss-covered primary forests with high humidity and consistent temperatures, requiring specific microhabitats with abundant leaf litter and bromeliad plants for breeding.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservationLegislationPolicies and regulationsLinked enterprises & livelihood alternatives

Other threatened species in DENDROBATIDAE

Blessed Poison FrogVU

Blessed Poison Frog

Ranitomeya benedicta

Declining
EN

Colostethus ucumari

Unknown
VU

Ameerega pepperi

Declining
EN

Darwin Wallace Poison-Frog

Epipedobates darwinwallacei

Declining

Threatened in Colombia

EN

Helena's Marsupial Frog

Gastrotheca helenae

Stable
VU

Cavendishia macrocephala

Unknown
EN

Cavendishia sessiliflora

Unknown
VU

Macleania crassa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lehmann's Poison Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Lehmann's Poison Frog is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Oophaga lehmanni faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development in its limited Colombian range. The species is further imperiled by collection for the illegal pet trade, as its striking coloration makes it highly sought after, and climate change impacts on its specialized montane forest habitat.
Where does Lehmann's Poison Frog live?
Lehmann's Poison Frog occurs in Colombia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lehmann's Poison Frog?
The main threats to Lehmann's Poison Frog are 2.1, 5.1, 5.1.1, and 5.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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