At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The mountain chicken is one of the world's largest frogs, named because its meat was once eaten like chicken. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
Disease has devastated its last island populations.
Range & habitat
The Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- The amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis
- Past hunting for food
- Volcanic activity and habitat loss
Why it matters
A giant island frog brought to the brink chiefly by amphibian disease, the mountain chicken is an emblem of the global amphibian crisis and of island-species fragility.
Sources
Sources for Mountain Chicken Frog
- IUCN Red List — look up Mountain Chicken Frog (authoritative status)
- AmphibiaWeb (UC Berkeley)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the mountain chicken?
Because the large frog was traditionally hunted for its meat, which was said to taste like chicken — a practice that, along with disease, contributed to its decline.
Why is the mountain chicken Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite the amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis above all, along with past hunting and volcanic and habitat impacts. See the IUCN Red List.
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