Hands across the water.

February 1, 2008 6:29 PM

What do you do when you're a Panamanian golden frog and you need to let that certain special someone across the way know you're, um, interested? Sure, you could croak a few sweet nothings in her ear, but those rushing jungle streams can drown out even the most virile of frog voices. So, you... wave! Yeah, give her a little wave! A BBC film crew has captured footage of this rare (and, according to their article, now extinct) amphibian waving, fighting and mating. [NOTE: last link includes hot froggy ménage à trois. Surely NSFW!]

Here's a National Geographic documentary on earlier efforts to treat the Chytrid fungus-induced disease that has decimated the golden frog population.

posted by flapjax at midnite (22 comments total)

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posted by scodger at 6:50 PM on February 1, 2008

Great post. Thanks.
posted by psmith at 7:06 PM on February 1, 2008

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posted by mumkin at 7:18 PM on February 1, 2008

That was quite interesting, thanks. Someone needs to get this guy in here stat to provide some play by play commentary.
posted by friendlyjuan at 7:52 PM on February 1, 2008

My bearded dragon used to do that!
posted by idiotfactory at 7:54 PM on February 1, 2008

Cute, and unexpectedly sad.
posted by nasreddin at 8:03 PM on February 1, 2008

So cool. But that wave totally reminded me of The Karate Kid.
posted by stefanie at 8:12 PM on February 1, 2008

See, I tried that "gentle hand waving" thing to pick up a guy once. It works not so much.

But I agree, very sad.
posted by artifarce at 8:14 PM on February 1, 2008

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posted by Salmonberry at 8:49 PM on February 1, 2008

Oh man, flapjax, I favorited that before even looking at the cute froggie went a courtin' pics and article, just because you wrote your post so enticingly. Now to check out at this golden social critter and its greeting skills.

Oh, what style his wave had! I'd fall for that. Handsome blond dude with an awesome high five.

haiku

Hot on rock lookout
Gold unwavering wavers
Happy trifecta
posted by nickyskye at 9:59 PM on February 1, 2008

and
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posted by nickyskye at 10:01 PM on February 1, 2008

"Golden frogs are highly toxic"

Indeed. DTMFA
posted by LordSludge at 6:32 AM on February 2, 2008

And some believe they turn into pure gold when they die.

Awww. These little fellows are so cute! And David Attenborough always makes me melt, anyway. Thanks, fam!
posted by misha at 7:33 AM on February 2, 2008

These little fellows are were so cute!

Had to correct that for you, sorry. Sadly, it seems they were waving goodbye...
posted by Skeptic at 10:19 AM on February 2, 2008

Video?
posted by odinsdream at 11:41 AM on February 2, 2008

Video?

Accompanying the article linked to under the waving, fighting and mating link you'll find the video, odinsdream. Click on "WATCH", just under the picture of the frog. Of course, there's also the National Geo video linked in the "more inside" part of this post.

Sometimes you have to look a little bit, if you want to find the gold!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:50 PM on February 2, 2008

"waving, fighting and mating" pretty much sums up Friday nights in the vronsky household. Maybe I was a frog in a past life?
posted by vronsky at 4:07 PM on February 2, 2008 [1 favorite]

Maybe I was a frog in a past life?

Alor... c'est possible!

[NOT FRENCHIST]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:01 PM on February 2, 2008

Ever heard of this drummer f@m? I'm not a musician, but there is something about his playing I really dig.
posted by vronsky at 1:17 PM on February 3, 2008

Actually no, vron, I hadn't heard of him, but based on that clip you linked to, I really like him a lot: great feel, sound and energy. I think what you dig about him might be what I dig, too: there's not a lot of flourish and filigree in Blade's solo here, no use of all the little rolls and micro-activity that are prime features of so many jazz drum solos. He's mainly using single strokes, big, decisive HITS that are all about accenting the pulse in a rather more primal way than we generally see in jazz drumming. I'm gonna check more of his stuff. Thanks!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:52 PM on February 3, 2008

I saw him playing years ago with Daniel Lanois on the Tonight Show. I made a mental note to find out who the hell he was because he pretty much stole the show. Then yesterday I was digging around for some Lanois stuff on youtube and remembered him. yay youtube!
posted by vronsky at 7:59 PM on February 3, 2008

check out this Willie Wilcox -- Drum Solo flapjax. Holy sheeeeeeet.
posted by vronsky at 2:47 AM on February 6, 2008