Climate change threatens highland frogsBy Jonathan Chin / Staff writerA new study showed that climate change could be more dangerous to species inhabiting hills and highlands than creatures on mountains, in a potential reversal of scientific wisdom. Moltrecht’s tree frogs, or Zhangixalus moltrechti, are a bellwether species for the impact of global warming, as their habitats range from mountains to lowlands, it said. Moltrecht’s tree frogs would likely require “heat sanctuaries” and “vertical corridors” to survive climate change, yet both have been compromised by urbanization that fragments habitats, he said. Chen I-hsiu (陳怡秀), associate professor of climate change and sustainability at the National Taiwan University, said that species inhabiting highlands can adapt to warming by migrating to even higher altitudes. This means large swathes of a species could die off with climate change, with little chance of adapting to shifting conditions, he said.

Source: Taipei Times February 05, 2026 17:12 UTC