It is found in extreme northern Ecuador, northwestern Colombia (Chocó and Córdoba west and north of Cordillera Occidental), Panama, and Costa Rica, as well as in Honduras.

[3][4][5] The specific name chirripoi refers to the Chirripó Indians inhabiting the area of the type locality, Suretka in the Talamanca canton of Costa Rica.

The ventral surface is transparent, revealing the red heart and the white digestive tract and liver.

[6] Its natural habitats are humid lowland and montane forests and pastures[1] below 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level.

It can be locally threatened by habitat loss caused by increasing agricultural cultivation and logging.