These ten frogs you are about to see might not be the most amazing or unusual frogs from around the world, but they are the rarest. Some of these frogs are so rare that they are at risk of being extinct within just a few years. But the good news is there are conservation efforts for most of the frogs on this list so there is always hope. But if the worse happens we will always have these pictures of them to remember them by…
Blueberry Poison Arrow Frog (Dendrobates Pumilio)
Blueberry Poison Arrow Frog (Dendrobates Pumilio)
There are many different species of Poison Arrow frog most of which are indeed endangered. But it is the blue coloured version (hence the Blueberry name) that is the rarest and this is probably down to its visible colour making it easier to find by collectors.
Sehuencas Water Frog (Telmatobius Yuracare)
Sehuencas Water Frog (Telmatobius Yuracare)
At one time there was only one male thought to have existed and he got the name “Romeo the World’s Loneliest Frog”, but since then they have found a female and they have indeed had babies hopefully saving this rare species for future generations to see.
Golden Mantella (Mantella Aurantiaca)
Golden Mantella (Mantella Aurantiaca)
This species is found in a small area of just 4 square miles inside a much larger area of swampland in Madagascar. This is also one of the worlds smallest frogs which make efforts to count them even harder.
Quito Rocket Frog (Colostethus Jacobuspetersi)
Quito Rocket Frog (Colostethus Jacobuspetersi)
This frog is sadly dropping in numbers all the time mostly due to habitat loss, but there are efforts to save it via conservation and habitat protection. Sadly despite this effort numbers of them still seem to be falling year on year.
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Lemur Leaf Frog (Hylomantis Lemur)
Lemur Leaf Frog (Hylomantis Lemur)
In the daytime, this is a vibrant green looking frog that is hard to see against the lush greens of the rain forest in which it habitats. But at night it has the ability to change colour and turns to dark brown to make itself harder to see. This, of course, makes count them a lot harder, but they are thought to be endangered.
Gastric-brooding Frog (Rheobatrachus)
Gastric-brooding Frog (Rheobatrachus)
If you think this frog has a weird name, the reason why it gets that name is will shock you even more. They get their name because they give birth via the mouth! This is one of only two species of frog that can do this, but this one is by far the rarest.
Scarlet Frog (Atelopus Sorianoi)
Scarlet Frog (Atelopus Sorianoi)
When it comes to small habitat areas this frog lives in the smallest of them all. This species is only found in a small stream in an isolated cloud forest and was last seen in 1990 meaning conservationist have no idea if the species is extinct or not.
Hula Painted Frog (Discoglossus Nigriventer)
Hula Painted Frog (Discoglossus Nigriventer)
This was a frog that was never drawn or photographed before it went extinct in 1950, but after recently been rediscovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo there are some efforts to save their natural habitat.
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The Variable Harlequin Frog (Atelopus Varius)
The Variable Harlequin Frog (Atelopus Varius)
For almost a decade this frog was thought to be extinct and was not seen in its natural home the rain forests of Costa Rica until 2003 but efforts are not underway to protect them and their habitat.
American Cinchona Plantation Treefrog (Isthmohyla Rivularis)
American Cinchona Plantation Treefrog (Isthmohyla Rivularis)
There might be hundreds of species of frogs in Costa Rica, but this is not only one of the rarest, but it is also THE worlds rarest species of Frog! In fact, it is so rare that for years it was thought to be extinct but has recently resurfaced. The good news is there are considerable efforts to protect them and their numbers.
Sources Used…
- https://worldstrides.com/blog/2012/12/rarest-tree-frog-world-found-costa-rica/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atelopus
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hula_painted_frog
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2010/aug/09/wildlife-conservation
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Guhh4RGXnDA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTSomXZqALo
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/frog-romeo-mate-sehuencas-water-frog-endangered-extinct-bolivia-juliet-a8731256.html
- https://news.mongabay.com/2011/12/effort-to-save-worlds-rarest-frogs-recognized-with-conservation-award/