European Tree Frog

Hyla arborea is a member of the world most geographically diverse and widespread frog family, Hylidae, which has little buddies hopping, climbing and swimming on 6 continents. (sorry Antarctica)

European tree frogs in particular can be found nearly everywhere in continental Europe, hence the creative name. These little guys are tiny. Not world's smallest frog tiny, but pink-rubber-eraser-sized tiny. (about 4.5 cm at max) And despite being called a tree frog, they aren't huge fans of trees, preferring scrubby bushes and meadows. They live off of a diet consisting of arthropods, and avoid their fishy nemeses at all costs.

Unfortunately, the European tree frog is becoming threatened in some areas, due to encroachment of human populations. Noise pollution is also having an effect on their mating practices, since finding each other requires sending out calls which are becoming more and more difficult to hear. But there is happiness to be had! Since 1988, the Riga Zoo in Latvia has been working to reintroduce the frog in the wild. They had disappeared due to loss of habitat and the extinction of the beaver within the country, but now both are back! Huzzah!

Oh, and on the topic of reintroduced Latvian beavers, read this. Crafty beavers!

frog image from Treehugger.com , beaver from guardian.co.uk