A New Tiny Frog Hopped Into Our Lives

A new species of frog has been discovered on a wildlife reserve in Costa Rica, and the tiny amphibian needs extra care to make sure its small population can survive.

“I love this frog because it tells a larger story,” says Esteban Brenes Mora, senior Re:wild’s Mesoamerica associate. “When Donald [Valera Soto] started Tapir Valley Nature Reserve, it was to protect tapirs and help them move between forests. He didn’t know that there were completely new species to science living on the reserve, but if he hadn’t protected this place for tapirs, we might not have ever discovered this little frog.”

The tapir valley tree frog – or Tlalocohyla celeste – is only 2 centimeters long and lives in a 20-acre wetland within Tapir Valley Nature Reserve which used to be a cattle ranch. It is the fifth species to be described within the genus Tlalocohyla. In March 2018, Soto heard the frog’s shrill call in the wetland pond and noticed how different it was from the 10 other frog species in the area. Research and studies have been made to confirm that it was indeed a brand-new species, including its physical characteristics. Since it only lives on the reserve, it needs to be protected so its small population can survive.