A Flying Frog!

I'm not joking... this actually a Vietnam Flying Frog! Rhacophorus robertingeri. Which he demonstrated very well this morning. They are the smallest tree frog species in Vietnam and the only information I can find on them is that they like dense forests and streams.... not unlike most frogs....

He was perched on the bars of Misty and Rain's den this morning when I went in for their early feed. Couldn't believe my luck. Blip done and dusted by 7:30am! Catching him was a different story.... He probably would have been fine in their den, but I didn't want to take any chances, so I tried to grab him and take him outside to the creek nearby. No such luck - he squirmed out of my hand and sprung up onto the the chain link roofing. Small curse from me... I quickly exited the cubs den, let them back in (they were in their feeding crates thankfully), stripped out of my quarantine gear and raced up to the roof to try and get him from there. Easier said than done, trying to grab a slippery frog on a chain link roof! I failed three times! Dear god - you wouldn't think I handled these guys regularly for four years would you? Last attempt ended up with him leaping through the roof back down into the cub's den square on the floor in front of Misty!! S*#@..... more cursing from me ... raced downstairs, on with the quarantine gear, back into the den and scooped up the frog (who had enough sense to hop away from Misty and onto a wall in the corner). So then I had squirming, slippery frog in one hand, a bear cub on each leg and one hand free left to try and get myself and the frog out the door! Perhaps if I'd had my standard routine coffee first my reflexes may have been a bit quicker the first time?!

Stripped out of quarantine clothes again and took said frog outside to more suitable surroundings... grabbed camera to take more scenic photograph with frog on beautiful green leaf... smiled wryly as he sprung out of my hand about two metres into the thick creek overgrowth, never to be seen again. Your very welcome Flying Frog!

Post script: mmm ... tis apparently not a Vietnam Flying Frog :( Ahh damn thought for once I had my ID down pat! It could belong to the polypedates family.. but the jury is still out... Flying frog sounds better though!!