- Oh, there's a Red-Eyed Tree Frog right there.
Check that out.
I'm gonna get right behind here.
- [Man] That's a nice one.
- Look at that.
- [Mark] Oh man, Coyote, look to your left.
To your left, down.
- Perfect, look at that.
That is a big tree frog.
Got it, there we have now.
Oh, I hear ya.
(energetic drumming)
During the wet season, Cost Rica is famous
for having endless days of torrential rain,
which makes filming episodes incredibly difficult.
This is one of the most incredible fasorial creatures
- Hey, Coyote, I'm sorry to stop you man,
but the camera's getting doused.
I'm afraid we're going to lose the camera.
- Aah, dude, we have to film this animal.
- [Mark] I know.
- [Coyote] On one hand, this natural rain forest cycle
presents challenges.
However, it also creates the perfect conditions
for finding reptiles and amphibians.
While on the Caribbean coast, we spent several days
exploring the Costa Rican amphibian research preserve.
And this expansive, mid elevation rain forest
is home to one of the richest populations
of frog species on the planet.
- [Mark] Alright, we are rolling.
- [Coyote] Check that out.
- [Mark] And you are in some mud.
- This is definitely a good sign that it has rained
quite a bit here in the rain forest.
Now, recently we just showed you guys
an episode with the Red-Eyed Leaf Frog,
probably the most famous amphibian species
here in Costa Rica.
And while we were out at night, we kept seeing
these larger tree frogs.
They're green, they also have red eyes,
and they're actually called Gliding Tree Frogs.
I figured you guys probably wanted to see this
up close for the camera, so what we're going to do tonight
is head over to this pond, where they have
come down from the trees and work our way
through this gloppy mud and get some
up close for the cameras.
Typically these frogs can only be found
high up in the canopy.
However, when large rain storms push through,
they descend from the tree tops to begin breeding.
And because of this, we were able to witness
all stages of this creature's life cycle,
from eggs to tadpoles, and of course, plenty of adults.
Get ready to meet the Gliding Tree Frog.
Let's see what we can find
oop, lookin' at a frog right there.
Great place to look for creatures.
There's a turtle.
Look at that,
- [Mark] See a turtle?
- I see a turtle.
- [Mark] Think you can catch it?
- I'm gonna most definitely catch it.
- [Mark] I see it.
- Keep the lights on it.
Got it.
- [Mark] Nice.
- Woo, there we go.
Oh, that's a little deep right there.
Check that out.
Wow, well, we've seen me jump into the water
and catch turtles before, but not from this species.
That is a White-Lipped Mud Turtle.
Not musking on me, though they are capable of musking
like most musk and mud turtles.
Look at that, sharp front claws too.
And the bite of this turtle is pretty powerful.
You see how long they can extend their neck out.
I see you, yes.
No, my finger is not a tadpole.
This turtle is definitely too small to be eating
any large frogs, the one's that we would be looking for,
but tadpoles and little froglets are definitely fair game.
So, we're going to put him back into the pond
and see if we can find ourselves some frogs.
There he goes, bye buddy.
Woop, they're very quick.
Oh, look at this, ha, perfect.
Right on the edge of the pond is exactly what...
Okay, there's a snake right there next to us
with a mouthful of eggs.
That is a Cat-Eyed Snake.
- [Mark] Wow, it does have an egg
hanging out of it's mouth.
- Okay, caught this guy right in the middle of dinner.
I'm going to take my flashlight off it, okay?
Still see it well enough?
Oh this is perfect.
I mean we are just two for two here.
I'm going to just gently bend this leaf
around here for you, Mark.
Look at this, see that?
Looks like fungus, right?
- [Mark] Those are eggs.
- Those are eggs, those are the eggs
of the Gliding Tree Frog.
Now this is one of the dangers of being a frog,
when these frogs come down in the masses
to lay their eggs, because there's so many predators.
These eggs aren't even going to get the chance
to develop into tadpoles and then
drop down into the water.
Kinda sad, but that's part of the cycle out here
in the rain forest.
Alright, sorry buddy,
we're going to disturb you during dinner.
Let's see if I can just gently, oh,
(words obscured by background noise)
Often times they will musk.
It's a very cool snake.
There we go, just want to be really gentle.
Hopefully, with that mouth full of frog eggs
he will be thinking, "I'm full,
"I'm not going to be biting anybody."
Look at that.
And these snakes have incredible balance.
Look how it's capable of just completely
extending out its head, almost like a vine.
You see that?
It's looking at your microphone right now, Mark.
Thinkin', "Hmm, that looks like a place to escape to."
You know you have some of your dinner
on the side of your face.
Are you aware of this?
He's kinda like, "You guys shouldn't have
bugged me during dinner."
Look at that.
I can just feel how well this snake is capable of
watch, this is gonna try to get out on the tree limb.
They can completely hold up the weight of its body.
Look at that.
Wow, so incredibly strong, look at how
it just slinks up the side of that tree.
That is amazing.
Let's see, can he actually hold on to that?
He's going to curl his body around.
Wow, how 'bout that?
Well, two predators right in a row.
I'm gonna let go of it.
I feel like it doesn't even know
that it has an egg hanging out of the side of its mouth.
Can you see that?
- [Mark] I can.
Caught red handed.
- Caught ya, buddy.
Robbing the nest of eggs, so cool.
Alright, what I'm gonna do is actually put him
right back where he was.
I know that he is eating the eggs of the frogs,
but that is a part of the life cycle
of these reptiles and amphibians,
and I do not want to disturb him from his dinner
anymore than we already have.
There you go.
Okay, well that's a pretty good start.
We walked out of the jungle, right here
to the edge of this body of water
and already have caught two of the predators
that are out here helping to control
the population of these frogs.
But, for us, we wanna get up close
with one of these amphibians, and this is
the absolute perfect time to do it.
Let's work our way along the edge of the pond
and see if we can find some.
Sound good?
- [Mark] Yep, let's do it.
- Alright.
Come here.
- [Mark] What do ya see, what do ya see?
- [Coyote] Look at this wandering spider.
- [Mark] Whoa.
- That is an enormous spider,
and if you walk underneath a branch like this,
and you bump it and that falls into your neckline
and you take a bite, you are going to the hospital.
Look at how big that thing is.
Alright, just again guys, Mark, Mario,
make sure you're paying attention
everywhere that you are going.
Alright, let's keep going.
Oh, there's a Re-Eyed Tree Frog right there.
Check that out.
We spent so much time looking for a Red-Eyed Leaf Frog
the other night, and sure enough
there's one right there.
Let's do this.
Actually, get it up close for the camera.
Can't let you not have a starring moment, little guy.
Look at that.
Aah, isn't that awesome.
- [Mark] Oh man, Coyote, look to your left.
Look to your left, down.
- Perfect, look at that.
That is a big tree frog.
Got it.
There we have now, oh, I hear ya chirpin'.
There is the Gliding Leaf Frog,
right next to the Red-Eyed Leaf Frog.
Wow, now you can see the distinct differences
between the two, and you'll notice
the differences in the eye color.
You see that?
The Red-Eyed Leaf Frog has a much more
brilliant orange to its eye,
and the gliding variety is darker brown
and significantly bigger.
Now the most distinguishing feature is
look at the side of this frog's body.
See how yellow it is?
All uniform in color, yet the Red-Eyed Leaf Frog,
can you see the color on the side of its body?
- [Mark] Oh yeah, definitely.
- Blue, with those iconic yellow stripes.
And you'll notice that the Red-Eyed Leaf Frog
has very orange toes.
Oh, where you going?
Come here.
Very orange toes and very yellow toes
on the Gliding Leaf Frog.
And the size difference is really the big thing.
- [Mark] So Coyote, I notice that you're holding the male.
How big are the female Gliding Frogs?
- Those are almost twice the size of the male,
and that's what I really wanna get up close for the camera.
So let's keep searching, put these frogs back
on their leaves, and hopefully we'll find one.
You ready?
- [Mark] Yep, let's put 'em back.
- Put that right back here, ready.
Ah, there we go,
look at that one out there on that tree branch.
That one looks like it's a pretty good size.
And it will pose a little bit of a challenge.
Watch that branch.
Here we go, one, two, three.
Yep, got wet, but I got the frog.
- [Mario] Here.
- [Mark] Grab.
- Oh, I'm stuck in the mud.
Okay, back up a little bit, comin' up there.
That is probably about average size
for what we've seen tonight.
Maybe a little bit bigger, but definitely
the Gliding Tree Frog.
Look at that little creature.
Wow, this is good because now my hand is wet
and it's keeping the frog moist.
And look at how those sticky pads
are just gripping onto my finger.
Now let's talk about the name of this frog for a second.
The Gliding Tree Frog, and you're probably
thinking to yourself, "Well, they must glide
"through the rain forest."
And when they leap, they spread out their arms
and their legs, and then, whap, land down on a leaf.
It speculative that they're actually gliding.
It could just be the momentum of their body
and the weight as they're hurling through the air
that makes it appear as if they're gliding.
Either way, this frog has definitely earned
a very cool name.
- [Mark] Compared to its body size,
its hand and its feet look quite large.
- Oh they are, and it needs to have these
large feet and hands because if it's sailing
through the canopy from leaf to leaf,
if it misses a leaf, let's say if it just kinda
goes off course, it only needs one hand
to be able to grab on, and then it will swing its body
up underneath and be able to prevent itself
from falling down to the forest floor.
That's pretty cool to be out here in the rain forest
where we're getting to see all phases
of this frog's life tonight, from the eggs,
to the tadpoles, to little froglets
far out there in the water, and then, of course,
the adults which are just all along the edges of the pond.
I'm Coyote Peterson, be brave.
Stay wild.
We'll see ya on the next adventure.
Alright, let's let him hop back off into the wild.
If you thought the Gliding Tree Frog was cool looking,
make sure to go back and watch our encounter
with one of Cost Rica's most bizarre amphibians,
the caecilian.
And don't forget, subscribe so you can join
me and the crew on this season of Breaking Trail.