At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Panamanian golden frog is a bright yellow toad and a national symbol of Panama. It is assessed as Critically Endangered and may be extinct in the wild.
It communicates partly with a hand-waving 'semaphore' because of the noisy streams it lives near.
Range & habitat
Streams and forests of central Panama.
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
- Habitat loss
- Past collection
Why it matters
Devastated by amphibian chytrid disease, the Panamanian golden frog is an emblem of the global amphibian extinction crisis and now survives largely in captive 'ark' programmes.
Amphibian declines have been widely linked to the chytrid fungus alongside habitat loss.
Sources
Sources for Panamanian Golden Frog
- IUCN Red List — look up Panamanian Golden Frog (authoritative status)
- AmphibiaWeb (UC Berkeley)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the golden frog wave its hands?
Living near loud, fast streams where calls are hard to hear, it uses a hand-waving display ('semaphore') to signal to rivals and mates.
Why is it Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite the deadly amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis along with habitat loss. It may survive mainly in captivity. See the IUCN Red List.
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