The western Andes toad, as it is also known, is a species endemic to the National Natural Park Munchique, that is, we can only find it in this protected area, located in the Western Mountain Range of Colombia. IUCN lists it as data deficient (DD), as there is uncertainty as to its distribution and ecological requirements (Castro & Lynch, 2004). It is, however, known with certainty that it lives in the vicinity of the Sopladero stream, at 2190 meters above sea level, in the above mentioned natural reserve (Department of Cauca).
The threats to this species are unknown. However, there are illegal crops in the region that could be compromising the health of its habitat. Since its original description in 1980, it had not been registered and the existence of only two individuals was known. It is active both day and night, when males sing constantly. Yet, not much is known of its natural history.
In 2017, the species was rediscovered in the National Natural Park Munchique, within the framework of the project “Strategy for Amphibian Conservation in Colombia”, an initiative funded by the Zurich Zoo and through which WCS supports different national parks in the formulation of a monitoring program for their amphibian populations and in the training of their employees on the matter.
The species was also observed during the development of the project “Conservation of biodiversity in landscapes impacted by mining in the region of biogeographic Chocó”, agreement made by National Natural Parks of Colombia (PNNC, in Spanish), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Ecohabitats Foundation.