Animals Galore

COSTA RICA’S RICH VARIETY OF WILDLIFE

- Pat Betteley

Costa Rica is home to an astounding variety of animal life. The entire country is a bridge between North and South America, so animal species from both continents have migrated across the land over time. To explore a tiny cross-section of Costa Rican animals, we will look at an amphibian (red-eyed tree frog), reptile (leatherback turtle), bird (quetzal), mammal (tapir), and insect (leaf-cutter ant).

The red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) is a symbol of the rainforest. This 1.5- to 2.75- inch long amphibian sleeps by day stuck to the underside of leaves with eyes shut and body markings covered. But if you disturb this seemingly mild-mannered little fellow, it will flash bulging red eyes and reveal huge, webbed orange feet and bright blue-and-yellow flanks. Scientists call this phenomenon startle coloration because the sudden flash of color may cause a bird or snake to pause, creating a precious instant for the tiny frog to spring to safety. By night, the carnivorous little frog ambushes crickets, flies, and moths with its long, sticky tongue.