Males

Females

Why Did They Go

Extinct?

Sexual Dimorphism

Monteverde, Costa Rica

-Cloud Forest
 Characteristics
Males-
-Bright Orange
-~2 inches in length
Females-
- Dark olive to black color, with scarlet spots enclosed
by yellow.
-Slightly larger than the males
Mating Season-
-Spring, in one to two roughly weeklong bursts.
-Small pools formed by rainfall attracted the toads.
-Gathered in groups of several hundred.
-Males would contest over the females, until one
would “claim” her by wrapping his arms tightly
around her.
-Females lay two-hundred to four-hundred eggs.
Time to Mature: Approximately two months (from egg to
mobile toadlet.)
 Deforestation: Loss of Habitat

Climate Change: The air became less clouded

and moist, due to the rising temperatures.
This allowed for possible disease outbreaks.

Chytridiomycosis: A disease caused by the

fatal fungus Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis
which causes skin disease, convulsions, skin
loss, and eventually death in amphibians. It is
possible the drier air allowed for the fungus
to spread easily to the golden toads.

El Niño: Weather pattern that caused an

exceptionally dry season near the time of the
toad’s disappearance. It is possible this was
caused by global warming.