CR

South American Rocket Frog

Hyloxalus anthracinus

Declining

Overview

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

Hyloxalus anthracinus faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the Colombian Andes. Mining activities and infrastructure development have further fragmented the remaining cloud forest habitat. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local extinctions, while climate change threatens to shift suitable habitat zones beyond the frog's dispersal capabilities.

Threat summary

Habitat

This poison frog inhabits montane cloud forests and humid premontane forests in the Colombian Andes, typically found in leaf litter and low vegetation near streams. The species requires pristine forest conditions with high humidity and stable microclimates characteristic of undisturbed Andean cloud forest ecosystems.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· majorGrassland· major

Conservation measures underway

Resource & habitat protectionSpecies recovery

Other threatened species in DENDROBATIDAE

Blessed Poison FrogVU

Blessed Poison Frog

Ranitomeya benedicta

Declining
Golfodulcean Poison FrogVU

Golfodulcean Poison Frog

Phyllobates vittatus

Declining
EN

Silverstoneia dalyi

Declining
EN

Ramos' Rocket Frog

Hyloxalus ramosi

Declining

Threatened in Ecuador

Argentinean Horned FrogVU

Argentinean Horned Frog

Ceratophrys ornata

Declining
EN

Chelonoidis chathamensis

Increasing
EN

Baird's Tapir

Tapirus bairdii

Declining
VU

Chelonoidis vandenburghi

Increasing

Frequently asked questions

Why is South American Rocket Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
South American Rocket 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. Hyloxalus anthracinus faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the Colombian Andes. Mining activities and infrastructure development have further fragmented the remaining cloud forest habitat. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local extinctions, while climate change threatens to shift suitable habitat zones beyond the frog's dispersal capabilities.
Where does South American Rocket Frog live?
South American Rocket Frog occurs in Ecuador. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to South American Rocket Frog?
The main threats to South American Rocket Frog are 12.1, 2.1, 5.3, and 8.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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