CR

Heredia Robber Frog

Craugastor escoces

Declining

Overview

Craugastor escoces is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae. It is endemic to Costa Rica. After not having been seen after 1986—despite extensive directed surveys—it was declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2004.

However, the species was rediscovered on September 18, 2016, when two researchers from the University of Costa Rica found a female Craugastor escoces at the edge of the Juan Castro Blanco National Park in Alajuela Province.

Craugastor escoces faces severe population decline primarily due to the devastating chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has caused widespread amphibian mortality throughout Central America. Habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited montane range has further fragmented remaining populations. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, pushing suitable habitat to higher elevations where less area is available.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits cool, humid montane forests at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters in the mountains of Costa Rica and Panama. It requires pristine forest conditions with abundant leaf litter, fallen logs, and consistent moisture levels for breeding and foraging.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in CRAUGASTORIDAE

CR

Craugastor castanedai

Declining
EN

Craugastor gutschei

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Blair's Dirt Frog

Craugastor blairi

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EN

Sagui Dirt Frog

Craugastor sagui

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Threatened in Costa Rica

EN

Passiflora chimuensis

Unknown
EN

Palicourea brenesii

Unknown
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Baird's Tapir

Tapirus bairdii

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CR

Mespilodaphne paradoxa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Heredia Robber Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Heredia 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. Craugastor escoces faces severe population decline primarily due to the devastating chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has caused widespread amphibian mortality throughout Central America. Habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited montane range has further fragmented remaining populations. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions this species requires, pushing suitable habitat to higher elevations where less area is available.
Where does Heredia Robber Frog live?
Heredia Robber Frog occurs in Costa Rica, and Cuba. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Heredia Robber Frog?
The main threats to Heredia Robber Frog are 11.1, 8.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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