New information on the Endangered Golden Tree Frog

Golden tree frog (Phytotriades auratus). Photo: Zak Ali. || The golden tree frog is an elusive frog, found only on mountain tops on the island of Trinidad and Venezuela. As a result of its restricted distribution, it is an endangered species. Major threats to the species include climate change, disease, and habitat loss. Due to its restricted distribution at the top of mountains, biological information on the species is limited. As a result, this limits the capability of conservation efforts for this species. In July 2025, a group of Trinidadian naturalists accompanied American biologists to the summit of El Tucuche on Trinidad. There, the aim was to gather important information on the species. The additional aim was to gather photos and videos of the frog to help raise awareness on the importance of this threatened amphibian. While on the mountain, a dozen individual golden tree frogs were observed in one night. Interestingly, we observed biological features never before reported. These included microhabitat use, adult diet, and another potential skin disease. All of these factors are important for improving the conservation management of this endangered species. To read more about these findings, see link to the reference below or you can watch this short video on the history of the golden tree frog in Trinidad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGMuPOkXY1k&t=305s. Reference: Auguste, RJ et al. 2025. Natural history notes on the endangered Golden Tree Frog Phytotriades auratus from Trinidad. Living World. 2025: 47-48. https://ttfnc.org/livingworld/index.php/lwj/article/view/auguste2025