The three-colored Harlequin Toad (Atelopus tricolor) known from eastern Andes of Bolivia and Peru, previously a common species, has not been recorded since 2003, in much the same way as many other species of harlequin toads elsewhere. For this reason it was reassessed as Critically Endangered in September 2019. On January 2020, after several attempts to find the species and almost 17 years without records, four individuals were found in a small stream in the sorroundings of Caranavi located at the north of La Paz department in the Yungas forest.
Several institutions and groups have come together in an effort to save this species from extinction. The Bolivian Amphibian Initiative, with extensive experience on amphibian conservation, The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group - Bolivia (ASG) with both experience in Bolivian amphibian conservation and an important network of experts at the global level, the Bolivian Government via the Dirección General de Biodiversidad y Areas Protegidas (DGB-AP) with their support for this project, Educa Anfibios with its experience working with education, La Paz Biodiversa, and Buiken with experience involving society in conservation and education, and Diversidad entre Pendientes, with experience in the area and contacts with local communities, make this project a truly multidisciplinary joint effort towards the conservation of this species. Now also working with the Ecosystem Health Laboratory Faculty of Life Sciences Universidad Andres Bello for the Bd Analysis.
But this team is also now coordinating internationally with other organizations and groups such as Rewild, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and Atelopus Survival Initiative, Amphibian Survival Alliance, Synchronicity Earth and we are searching more collaborations, with people and organizations with experience on amphibian conservation specifically on this genus
With this project we intend to assess the population status of this population found in January 2020 and address the following key and critical questions: are these individuals exposed to the fungal disease Bd? How big is this population? Are there other populations in the surrounding areas? What is the condition of the habitat where this population was found? What is the impact of farming in the region? What do local communities think about the species and its conservation? The answers to these questions will allow us to identify the next steps for the conservation of this species. Both in-situ and if needed ex-situ approaches, together with education strategies, may help to safeguard probably one of the last populations of this unique toad of Bolivia.
During the last two years, we have been monitoring this small population found in 2020, fortunately, more individuals were found in this area but it seems there are fluctuations in the numbers of individuals depending on the season, More attempts to try to find other new populations were unfortunately unsuccessful. During this period we found that the habitat where this species is present is under high risk because it is surrounded by different agricultural and even touristic activities that could wash off the only known population of this critically endangered toad. At the same time, we are evaluating the presence of Bd in the species and also to explore if other species in the area are affected. We also found that local communities and local authorities were not aware of the presence of this toad, they want to do something to improve the situation of this species, but most of the time they come up with some ideas that could be not the most beneficial for the species. This is the reason we find the need to support local communities with the possible initiatives in the area and also to keep closely monitoring this population and searching for new populations in case something will happen with this population. We still have as last resource the captive breeding option, but as said, we want to keep it as the last resource.