El Coqui

When you go outside on a typical hot, muggy Puerto Rican night, you are greeted by the chirping sounds of the unofficial ambassador of Puerto Rico, the coqui.

The coqui is a small tree frog that lives all over the island of Puerto Rico. Modern myth says that the coqui is unable to live anywhere else in the world but Puerto Rico.  While romantic, it is a common misconception.  Stories are told of failed attempts to maintain coqui’s in captivity elsewhere, failed attempts at keeping them as pets, and failed attempts at transplanting them to other tropical locals. In fact, the coqui has invaded the Hawaiian Islands and is a source of great consternation for many of its inhabitants.

The coqui is a difficult animal to keep alive in captivity because it is very attuned to the climate of Puerto Rico. There is popular poem , “El Oracion del Coqui” or “The Prayer of the Coqui,” in which the coqui begs God to take care of the coqui’s little Caribbean island because, “As you well know, I cannot live anywhere but here.” There is nothing more symbolic of the heart and soul of Puerto Rico than the coqui.