Early during my trip to Costa Rica I managed to find one of the biggest frogs down there, the smokey jungle frog (Leptodactylus pentadactylus). I heard a frog calling early one evening and managed to track it down to the edge of a man-made tilapia pond. Immediately upon my grabbing it, the frog jumped into defense mode and began to yelp like a puppy, and secrete a noxious fluid from its skin. I found many frogs in Costa Rica, but this one was absolutely my favorite.
These frogs are native to Central and South America. Their native name translates into "common bulfrog". indeed they are bull frog size with the males growing up to 7.3 inches. They are found near water in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and into montane forests. These frogs are nocturnal and during the day can be found in burrows, under logs, and in leaf litter.
After many pictures were taken (in which I look terrible, and the frog looks almost demonic), the frog pictured above was returned to the pond where he called for the rest of the night.
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