One of Korea’s most charming — and rarest — amphibians. Small, bright, and surprisingly expressive for a frog, it’s a close cousin of the common treefrog but with its own unique quirks and flair. Endemic to the Korean Peninsula (meaning it’s found nowhere else on Earth), the Suweon treefrog has become something of a local celebrity — a symbol of how delicate and special native wildlife can be. It was first discovered in the early 20th century near Suwon (hence the name), but for decades it was mistaken for its look-alike cousin, the Eastern treefrog (Dryophytes japonicus). Only careful genetic studies in the 1980s and 1990s revealed that this bright little hopper was actually its own distinct species — a quiet resident hiding in plain sight.

The Suweon treefrog is petite, but it’s beautifully designed. Its smooth skin is a soft green that can change shades slightly depending on temperature and surroundings, and it has a subtle, dark stripe running from the nose through the eye and down its sides — like nature’s version of eyeliner. Unlike its more common relatives that live across broader regions, this frog is a bit of a specialist. It prefers rice paddies, wetlands, and lowland fields, where standing water and grassy edges make ideal breeding grounds. During the spring mating season, males gather at dusk and sing a short, high-pitched “creek-creek-creek” chorus that fills the warm evening air — a sound that, for many, marks the arrival of Korea’s rainy season.

Sadly, the Suweon treefrog is now considered endangered, mainly due to habitat loss and pollution. Rapid urbanization and the conversion of rice fields have dramatically reduced its range, confining it to small pockets of suitable habitat. Because it relies on clean water and healthy ecosystems, its survival serves as a barometer for environmental health — when the Suweon treefrog thrives, so does the land around it.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Korea

2022

North Korea

2022