Scientists discover new frog species in peru’s remote cloud forests — but deforestation already threatens its survival

In the mist-shrouded cloud forests of Peru’s San Martín region, scientists have discovered a remarkable new frog species that may already be fighting for survival. The tiny amphibian, found hidden among fallen leaves in one of the country’s most remote and unexplored areas, has been named Oreobates shunkusacha — or “Shunku Sacha,” meaning “heart of the forest” in the local Kichawa-Lamista language.

The discovery emerged from collaborative expeditions in 2022 and 2025, where Indigenous monitors from three local associations guided Peruvian and French researchers through the virtually untouched highlands of the Bosques de Vaquero Biocorridor. These areas had remained largely unexplored for decades due to their extreme altitude, cold temperatures, and remote location.

However, the excitement of discovering this new species is tempered by urgent conservation concerns. The researchers, who recently published their findings in the German journal Salamandra, immediately classified the frog as endangered due to rapid forest destruction threatening its limited habitat. The species appears to exist only in a small geographic range within these threatened cloud forests.

This discovery highlights both the incredible biodiversity still waiting to be found in Peru’s remote ecosystems and the race against time to document and protect these species before habitat loss makes such discoveries impossible. The collaborative approach between local Indigenous communities and international scientists also demonstrates the crucial role of traditional ecological knowledge in modern conservation efforts.