Green and black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus) >)~©Jeff Parker, 2013
I’ve been busily going through the images created on our recently-completed Costa Rica Photo Tour. One of the surprises of the tour was just how much fun I had photographing Costa Rican frogs! It seems everything is more exuberant and colorful in the tropics, especially them. Immediately upon our arrival at Selva Verde we began to see poison dart frogs. Both the Black-and-green and the Bluejeans poison dart frogs were quite common on the grounds of the lodge.
Bluejeans Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio)~©Jeff Parker, 2013
The Green and black frogs were several inches long, but the Bluejeans is a tiny little guy only about an inch long. They don’t stay in one place long and that makes them a bit of a challenge to photograph given the low light levels in the rainforest, their small size, and propensity to hop away just about the time you acquire focus.
Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas)~© Jeff Parker, 2013
Of course the star of the frog show is the Red-eyed Tree Frog. It has become synonymous with nature tourism in Costa Rica. From billboards to the cover of guidebooks, you can find images of this species everywhere. There’s a reason for that: they’re amazingly photogenic critters! With their wild colors and appealing look, these frogs make the shot list of most wildlife photographers heading to Costa Rica.
NOTE: I still have a couple spots left in my 2017 Costa Rica Photo Tour, which takes place in June. Please join me!
Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) ©Jeff Parker, 2013
Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) © Jeff Parker, 2013
One more frog: The Glass Frog is so named because of its translucent belly skin. You can see its organs when viewed from underneath. These frogs are endangered.
Fleischmann’s Glass Frog (Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni) © Jeff Parker, 2013
Or, if you shine a light under them, it looks as if you’re taking an X-ray.
Fleischmann’s Glass Frog (Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni) © Jeff Parker, 2013
NOTE: I still have a couple spots left in my 2017 Costa Rica Photo Tour, which takes place in June. Please join me!