The mountains represent 25% of the land surface and due to its unique environmental and geomorphological features provides an exciting ground for biological experiments of nature which has stimulated research for centuries. The Eastern Himalayan region offers a unique and vast altitudinal gradient for such endeavor. Most of the ecological studies in the Himalayas is based on plant distribution. The amphibians of Eastern Himalayas are the least studied group among vertebrates. They are one of the most vulnerable taxa at risk of rapid decline due to their low dispersal ability in response to the relative velocity of ongoing climate change and the Himalaya is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change. In this context, I evaluate (1) the relative influence of environmental variables and spatial position, on the richness and composition of frog assemblages at hill streams in Sikkim. (2) the impact of different migration constraints on projected future distributions of four high elevation frogs in the Eastern Himalaya. The primary aim was to explore the differences between conventional models assuming no migration and unlimited migration versus models considering plausible migration rates to ascertain future species distributions under climate change. Even though species distribution models are generally used to quantify the effect of climate change, it can grossly overestimate the area of future species distributions. Here, I show with empirical data how ignoring migration constraints can lead to ineffective conservation measures by overestimating the future distribution of Himalayan amphibians. Furthermore, I present a documentation of frogs which are hunted for food, medicine and trade in Sikkim, and a case study on Amolops monticola, to show how these practices may lead to species extirpation.