#common coqui

A common coquí (Eleutherodactylus coqui) sings its iconic “Ko-kee” call, a sound that defines Puerto Rico’s nights. Once celebrated in Taíno legends, this tiny amphibian now symbolizes the fight to protect the island’s fragile ecosystems and cultural identity.

Hey. Hey. You should go click that link if you can. It leads to a petition on change.org to place the Coqui, a species of frog native to Puerto Rico, in a protected class to prevent further harm towards them. Recently there has been speculations of tourists in Puerto Rico wishing to spray the Coqui with pesticides and the like since they found their calls annoying. Not only is this harmful since the Coqui are a cultural symbol, but are also very important in their enviroment.

Common Coquí: Named after their call, the common coqui is found in Puerto Rico. This call not only serves to attract a mate, but also to mark territory. A challenging male may enter their territory and begin a duel, where they call for up to several minutes and the first to falter loses. Adults climb higher in the canopy at night and return to the ground when humidity drops in the morning, while juveniles tend to stay closer to the ground. They lay their eggs on leaves in this canopy, where they hatch directly into frogs. Males guard these eggs – although they sometimes eat a few – and chase off any predators.