Sounds of St. John
As nightfall descends on our lovely little island, our tiniest residents begin to sing. The Coqui Frog is small but boisterous, with a distinct high-pitched “ko-kee” call made only by males at night. The sound “ko” serves to repel other males and the “kee” attracts females.
The coqui, endemic to Puerto Rico, is prominently featured in island culture. Several legends about the coqui are widely known tales. One version is that the indigenous Taino people believed a goddess created the frog to call out the name of her lost love forever. Another says that the coqui is trapped in the rain forest until it’s freed by a person that sings the coqui song to break an evil spell. There’s also a reference to the son of a Taino chief that would sing by the river every night waiting on his love. Whatever story you believe, it revolves around love which is rooted in Puerto Rican heritage. They were so important to Tainos that their likeness is even etched in the petroglyphs from long ago.
The species were eventually introduced to the Virgin Islands, among other areas and considered invasive in some due to a lack of natural predators and abundant food sources (insects). These little creatures are notoriously challenging to spot due to their small size, averaging one inch in length. Interestingly, the higher the elevation, the larger the frog. Though they cannot swim, they do seek humidity usually taking up residence in trees or your potted plants.
You will undoubtedly hear their songs which have literally been proven as the loudest amphibian call in existence! Just consider it an island sound track. Now you have some great island trivia to impress your friends on your next St. John vacation!
