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A yellow Panamanian golden frog with black spots sitting on a green leaf.
Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Panamanian Golden Frog

Atelopus zeteki

A bright golden, poisonous frog that is Panama's symbol of good luck. It has not been seen in the wild since 2009 and survives in zoo breeding programs.

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About the Panamanian Golden Frog

Panamanian golden frogs come from a small area on the lower mountain slopes of central Panama, in forests between rainforest and cloud forest. They eat tiny insects and other invertebrates from the leaf litter. Their bright colors warn predators that they are poisonous, though they aren't harmful to people unless put in a mouth. No two frogs have exactly the same pattern.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Atelopus zeteki[1]
Diet
Insectivore. Tiny insects and invertebrates such as springtails and worms.[1]
Habitat
Forests between lowland rainforest and cloud forest, with clear streams.[1]
Where it lives
A small area of central Panama.[1]
Babies
Eggs laid in fast-flowing streams. Tadpoles cling to rocks.[1]
Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018). Not seen in the wild since 2009.[1][2]

Fun facts

  • Panamanian golden frogs wave their hands and feet to communicate.[1]
  • In Panama, the golden frog is a symbol of good luck and appears on lottery tickets.[1]
  • Every golden frog has its own unique pattern.[1]

Vocabulary

chytrid
A fungus that infects the skin of amphibians and can kill them.
semaphore
Sending signals by waving, like flags.
tadpole
A young frog that lives in water and breathes with gills.
cloud forest
A wet mountain forest that is often covered in low clouds or fog.
critically endangered
A conservation label meaning a species faces an extremely high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Zoo Atlanta. “Panamanian Golden Frog.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/panamanian-golden-frog/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Atelopus zeteki (Cerro Campana Stubfoot Toad).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54563/54341110 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Frogs

Two poison dart frogs: a blue frog with black spots and a yellow-and-black banded frog.Poison Dart FrogsFamily Dendrobatidae (about 220 species)A family of about 220 tiny, brightly colored rainforest frogs whose bold colors warn predators that their skin is poisonous.