It is endemic to the eastern slopes of the Andes in the departments of La Paz and Cochabamba, Bolivia.

[2] This terrestrial frog is known from elevations of 1,290–1,693 m (4,232–5,554 ft) above sea level in the Yungas forest, which is in Bolivia's Cochabamba and La Paz Districts.

[1] The IUCN classifies this frog as critically endangered, citing recent, precipitous drops in population, which occurred even in places not subject to significant habitat degradation.

IUCN surveys estimate the current population as no more than 250 mature adults.

Scientists cite the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and the related disease chytridiomycosis as one possible cause of this population decline.