CR

Rio Cosnipata Robber Frog

Pristimantis cosnipatae

Declining

Overview

Pristimantis cosnipatae, also known as Rio Cosnipata robber frog, is a species of frog in the family Strabomantidae. It is endemic to Cusco Department, Peru. It is believed to only occur in the Cosñipata Valley. The specific name cosnipatae refers to this valley. Last seen in 1999, this species is considered "critically endangered".

Pristimantis cosnipatae faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and human settlement in its limited montane forest range. The species' extremely restricted distribution and small population size make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes and local extinctions. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the temperature and moisture conditions of its specialized high-altitude habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits cloud forests and montane humid forests in the Andes of Peru, typically found at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters. It occurs in primary and secondary forest environments with high humidity and dense vegetation cover.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· majorWetlands (inland)· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Rio Cosnipata Robber Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Rio Cosnipata Robber 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. Pristimantis cosnipatae faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and human settlement in its limited montane forest range. The species' extremely restricted distribution and small population size make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes and local extinctions. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the temperature and moisture conditions of its specialized high-altitude habitat.
Where does Rio Cosnipata Robber Frog live?
Rio Cosnipata Robber Frog occurs in Peru. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Rio Cosnipata Robber Frog?
The main threats to Rio Cosnipata Robber Frog are 8.1, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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