{
  "id": 322861,
  "title": "Costa Rica's newly discovered \"coffee frog\" faces risks from farm pesticides",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/costa-ricas-newly-discovered-coffee-frog-faces-risks-from-farm",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-08T19:48:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CBS News",
    "slug": "cbs-news",
    "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/costa-rica-coffee-frog-pesticide-threats/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists have identified a new species of frog in Costa Rica, the spring frog, which is found exclusively in coffee plantations. Measuring less than 4 centimeters, the dark green-spotted amphibian is both nocturnal and endemic to Costa Rica. However, the species is at risk due to the pesticides used in farming. Researchers warn that these poisons can travel through the air and seep into the soil, ultimately entering the aquatic systems where the frogs' tadpoles develop. Other threats to the spring frog include waste dumping, increased tourism, and the loss of vegetation caused by the invasion of protected areas.",
  "summary": "A newly discovered frog species, known as the \"spring frog\" or \"coffee frog,\" has been found in Costa Rica's central Pacific region. The tiny, dark green-spotted amphibians measure less than 4 centimeters and were observed in San Lorenzo de Tarrazu, according to CBS News. They are nocturnal and thrive in coffee plantations.\n\nThe coffee frog is endemic to Costa Rica and has a distinctive translucent throat that inflates with the male's short, high-pitched call, as reported by Free Malaysia Today. At night, they can be heard singing and perched on coffee shrubs. They feed on small insects in the habitat, not coffee berries, and seek out shade, moisture, and food in the crops.\n\nThe use of pesticides on coffee plantations may pose a risk to these tiny amphibians, warns researcher Wagner Chaves-Acuna, as cited by Free Malaysia Today. The poisons can travel through the air, seep through the soil, and enter the aquatic systems where the tadpoles develop.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/322861.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Nocturnal ‘coffee frog’ discovered in Costa Rica",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/nocturnal-coffee-frog-discovered-in-costa-rica",
        "published": "2026-08-08T02:19:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}