Strawberry Fields

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Andrew Gray

Strawberry Dart Frog, Oophaga pumilio, Costa Rica. 2013 (c) Andrew Gray

I am currently on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica, and this morning came across an incredible ensemble of beautiful Strawberry Dart Frogs, Oophaga pumilio, literally where the rainforest of the Talamanca mountains meets the side of the cultivated fields next to where I’m staying.

Seeing these frogs in the wild is always special, and their bright natural coloration and bold attitude never fails to impress me. They are diurnal and use these bright colours to ward off potential predators and indicate their toxic skin secretions. Throughout Costa Rica this particular frog is quite varied in colour, and the ones from this area are solid bright pillarbox red. In the north, and around La Selva Biological Research Station, where I travel to tomorrow, they have bright blue legs and are commonly known as ‘Blue Jeans’. Here is a short clip of a frog from here filmed just an hour ago: .

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