Cuban tree frog

Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus Septentrionalis) are amphibians native to Cuba, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, and are the largest tree frogs in North America. They can be found in estuaries, low-density suburban developments, small towns, agricultural areas, lowlands and swamps — being attracted to damp shade around trees and shrubs, wells, rain barrels and buildings.

They range in size from 3 to 5.5 inches (76 to 140 mm) and vary in color from olive-brown to bronze, gray or grayish-white, which can change depending on the temperature and the environment. Some have dark splotches on their backs and others may have splotchy bands on their legs. Many are bright yellow on the undersides of their legs, thought to be a source of confusion to their predators as the frogs leap away from danger.

Their eyes often have an orange tint, their skin is rough and warty-looking and secretes a toxic mucus that can cause a burning sensation in the eyes. Their toe pads are larger than those of other tree frogs and the skin on their heads is fused to the skull, an adaption that prevents water loss because there are fewer blood vessels in that fused area.

The species is sexually dimorphic. The females are larger than the males with breeding males developing black nuptial pads on their thumbs, which facilitate the male’s ability to hold onto the female during mating. The size of the clutch of eggs laid varies with the size of the female — anywhere from 100 to more than 3,500 eggs, which can hatch in less than 30 hours and be fully developed in a month. Newly hatched tadpoles can come in a variety of colors and patterns and survive off algae.

Cuban tree frogs are great climbers and will usually sleep above ground during the day, becoming active at night. Their ability to climb power poles sometimes causes utility switches to short-circuit, resulting in power outages. They forage for a widely varied diet of whatever they can put into their mouths – snails, spiders, insects, other frogs, snakes, lizards and even baby birds in the nest -– and this, as well as their ability to live amongst human populations, has enabled them to not only survive but to become a highly invasive species wherever they are located.

It is believed that the Cuban tree frog has hitched a ride on ships, road vehicles, ornamental plants and packing crates, into Florida and even as far as to Canada. One of the major means of travel for the species, though, is through humans bringing them home as pets and then when, upon handling them, they discover that the toxin released through the skin is highly irritating to the eyes and can cause an allergic reaction, they release them into the surrounding area.

Once the Cuban tree frog has been introduced into a new location, it quickly becomes a highly invasive species, breeding year-round and quickly adapting to the local food sources, directly impacting the native ecosystems and becoming a threat to the biodiversity of the area by causing native tree frog populations to decline.

These frogs have become such a nuisance that the species has been banned for sale in the state of Hawaii, with severe penalties such as heavy fines and even imprisonment in place.