In the cloud forests of Mindo, Ecuador, the relict population of the Mindo Harlequin Toad (Atelopus mindoensis) is on the brink of extinction. After being declared “possibly extinct” and not seen since 1989, a relict population of five individuals was rediscovered in 2019 in an undisclosed pristine cloud forest stream in Mindo.
Ex-situ breeding attempts were carried out in Quito to save the population. Unfortunately, the entire founder group died, and no additional toads were found. At this point, the Khamai Foundation was founded as a conservation NGO dedicated to preventing extinctions through rapid, science-driven action and long-term habitat protection for threatened species.
Our goal was clear: secure the land containing the only known surviving population before it was destroyed by cattle ranching and deforestation. In 2024, the Arlequin Reserve was born. With early grant support and the commitment of loyal donors, Khamai Foundation secured the first five hectares of pristine cloud forest to protect the population. Since then, our work has focused almost entirely on this species to search for additional survivors. These efforts led to key discoveries: two males in September 2024, followed by two gravid females and tadpoles during the August–September 2025 surveys, offering renewed hope. Even so, the population remains critically small, and its long-term future is still uncertain.
Mindo Harlequin Toad at the Arlequin Reserve. Photo by Jay Baumann.
Through months of in-situ monitoring, our team began to see the landscape differently—not just as forest, but as a fragile puzzle where every missing piece mattered. That work led us to identify two neighboring land lots that quietly held parts of the toad’s last remaining habitat. Protecting only one section would not be enough. Together, these parcels now form the core and buffer of what we want the Arlequin Reserve to be: a new conservation area created to safeguard the entire known habitat of Atelopus mindoensis.
But this opportunity came with urgency. When the largest parcel—the 28-hectare Sanchez land lot, directly adjacent to the reserve—suddenly became available, we faced a critical obstacle: we needed funding quickly and needed more time to secure all the funds.
At that decisive moment, the Quick Response Fund for Nature (QRFN) stepped in. Their ability to move quickly and respond when timing mattered most allowed us to make a down payment and secure the land before irreversible damage could occur from cattle ranching and deforestation. The entire QRFN team became the catalyst that transformed months of uncertainty and effort into permanent protection. QRFN’s grant for the down payment provided a 6-month runway to raise the remaining funds and enabled us to complete the purchase. Today, the Arlequin Reserve has grown into 33 hectares, where the last known population of the toad has a chance to survive and recover.
QRFN’s rapid grant enabled Khamai Foundation to protect the 28-hectare Sanchez parcel and expand the Arlequin Reserve to 33 hectares. Photo by Alejandro Arteaga.
Khamai’s work and impact have grown alongside the project, including close collaboration with local community members. One local resident, Gerardo Obando, is now employed full-time as the reserve’s park ranger and plays a central role in monitoring the toads and safeguarding the forest. Looking ahead, our next steps include completing strategic land acquisitions, strengthening reserve infrastructure, expanding long-term biological monitoring, and implementing an ex-situ breeding program to safeguard the species’ remaining population.
Saving the Mindo Harlequin Toad required speed, trust, and decisive action. Thanks to QRFN, a moment of extreme vulnerability became a story of hope for the Mindo Harlequin Toad
Written by Alejandro Arteaga and Gaby Sandoval (Khamai Foundation) and edited by Sanjiv Fernando (QRFN).