Blue-sided leaf frog

The blue-sided leaf frog belongs to the leaf frogs, a subgroup of the tree frogs. These animals are native to South and Central America and favour tropical forests as their habitat. All tree frogs are characterised by their exceptional climbing ability: they can spread their first toe, which gives them a particularly firm grip. Their vertically slit pupils are another typical characteristic of this family.
The blue-sided leaf frog stands out with its bright green body colouring, striking yellow eyes and blue flanks. It is mainly found in the tropical forests of Costa Rica and is considered critically endangered. One of the biggest threats to this species is the chytrid fungus - an infectious fungus that affects the skin of many amphibians. It causes a thickening of the horny layer, presumably as a defence reaction of the body. However, this change impairs essential bodily functions such as thermoregulation, water absorption and oxygen exchange via the skin, which drastically reduces the chances of survival of the affected animals. The chytrid fungus not only endangers tropical amphibians, but also poses a serious threat in Switzerland. To prevent unwanted spread, breeding is only permitted with a special licence and under no circumstances may amphibians - whether eggs, larvae or adults - be removed from bodies of water and released elsewhere.

Distribution