In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share my most recent discovery that I couldn’t be more excited about.
On Monday night, I had the opportunity to photograph an endangered species - the Blue-Sided Leaf Frog (Agalychnis annae).
It is referred to as a golden-eyed or the blue-sided leaf frog because when mature, their sides feature blue, pink, orange, and lavender limbs and flanks along with striking golden eyes. With the assistance of a fellow colleague, I was able to gather enough light to capture it, and all of its beautiful colors.
Found camouflaging itself on a leaf near a shallow pond in central Costa Rica, this amphibian is native to the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica and Panama and is categorized as endangered due to urban and agricultural expansion. Another possible cause of endangerment is a fungus known as Batrachochytrium which is typically found among dead plant and animal matter and poses a risk to multiple frog species.
Frogs are also indicator species which means they are used to monitor changes in our environment. For example, they can tell us the impact pollution has on an ecosystem which makes them incredibly important for research.
You can help save these frogs, along with others, by doing things such as donating to a conservation project or by reducing your consumption of pineapple. The production of pineapple requires a large amount of harmful pesticides that are carried into nearby water supplies by intense rainfall and in return, reducing the population of frogs and other wildlife.
Protect the rainforest. Protect endangered species. Protect the Blue-Sided Leaf Frog.