Costa Rica has hundreds of amazing animal species, but this little frog was my favorite! This is a red-eyed tree frog which we saw on the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna.
Females deposit their eggs on a leaf overhanging a pond. When the egg hatches, the tadpole falls into the water and lives on insects until it develops into a frog. As frogs, they climb into trees and bushes where they spend the rest of their lives, sleeping in the day and being active at night. They are quite small ranging from 1 to 2.5 inches (2.5cm – 7cm).
The frogs have a green color, striking orange feet, a bluish stripe on their sides, and huge red eyes. The green helps them blend in with leaves, but the bright colors of their feet and eyes are a defense mechanism mimicing the coloration of poisons dart frogs, and making predators think twice before eating them (although red-eyed frogs are not poisonous). The pads on their feet secrete a sticky mucus that helps them hang onto surfaces.
This little fellow was an acrobat, showing his athletic skills and flexibility as he clung to this branch.
Fabulous shots!