A Magical Moment with an Amazing Frog

By Safina Center Fellow Erik Callender

Tiger-legged frog looking for a mate. ©Erik Callender

Ever since starting this Safina Center fellowship and living in Costa Rica for over a year, I began to develop a deeper connection to the land and creatures around me.

In a strange way it’s like reliving my childhood, the only difference is that in my early years I’d be so excited to see creatures that in less than 5 seconds of finding any critter I’d attempt to catch it!

Sadly, there were moments that I’d keep these wild creatures as pets. At the time I really thought It was fine to bring home buckets full of tadpoles, snakes, and bugs and keep them in tanks.

That was over 40 years ago, and now since around 2014 I made a conscious decision to observe and only touch wild creatures when necessary, or if they come to me or are in danger in an emergency situation.

Making this decision has been truly life changing! In fact, it’s very unlikely that I’d be part of this fellowship writing this blog from Costa Rica If I hadn’t.

Since the start of this “touch-free” journey, there’s been a sense of awareness that I’ve never had before… It’s as if I am tuned in to the creatures I’m observing and they show up, and sometimes approach me or allow me to get very close!

Just a few days before writing this blog, my neighbor and friend Pepo Montsant who works with frogs reached out to let me know that because of the recent rainfall, it was very likely that frogs may come to spawn! 

Erik Callender and Pepo Montsant, with a camera covered in frog eggs. ©Erik Callender

Before going out, I prepared 3 cameras: a Camcorder, an iPhone, and a 360 camera for time lapse footage and 360-degree videos.

As I approached the area where the frogs were I noticed right away there was a pair of them right next to the artificial pond that Monstant, who runs the La Kukula Lodge, created to support this rare species.

While I was observing the pair of Tiger-legged frogs laying eggs, I briefly looked down, and there was another pair of frogs right next to me! I thought to myself… “Here’s your chance!” I took the camera very quietly, and took some photos and videos. I was amazed that they were so close and appeared very comfortable with my presence.

As I was taking the photos, the pair of frogs paused for a moment as if to pose. A few moments later, they decided to use my tripod to climb up and get into the pond!

WOW! This was so amazing! They allowed me to be there without jumping away, and were not afraid.

Best of all, we caught this entire process on film for a timelapse!

I still felt that maybe they needed some privacy, so I decided to hide behind a tree for a moment and take a short break.

When I returned, I saw something truly magical—the frog was laying eggs directly on my camera!

Tiger-legged frogs laying eggs. ©Erik Callender

I truly could not believe my eyes and was just absolutely thrilled!

I was filled with so many emotions, my thoughts were racing… it was amazing! This experience reminded me that “touch-free” has given these creatures the space to trust me and allow me to have a small peek into their fantastic lives!