Observe and photograph a species in its natural habitat
Learn where and when to observe a species in the wild, how to recognize it in the field, and what habitats it lives in. Get photography tips adapted to its behavior and capture stunning images without disturbing the animal. For full details, open the complete profile in the WildlifePhotographer app.
Golden mantella
Scientific name: Mantella aurantiaca
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
Family: MANTELLIDAE
Group: Amphibians
Shyness: Very shy
Safe distance: 2 m
Breeding season / Courtship: 01.11-31.01
Gestation: 10–14 jours
Births: 01.02-30.04
Habitat:
Humid rainforest leaf litter and swamp edges
Description:
The golden mantella is a tiny frog (19–24 mm) with bright orange, toxic skin, living in leaf litter of eastern Madagascar’s rainforests. It feeds on small invertebrates and calls briefly after early wet-season rains to attract mates.
Recommended lens:
>=Macro
Photography tips:
Set up at ground level after rain in the leaf litter, remain still and shoot with shallow depth of field to isolate the colorful frog against the wet background.
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