If This Frog Doesn't Get a Kiss Soon, Extinction Awaits

Romeo, like many a singleton, is looking for love this Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately for Romeo. he’s facing long odds, as the only known Sehuencas water frog in existence.

So, to help him find a mate, and save a species, Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC) has added his profile to the dating site Match. It’s all part of a funding drive to raise money for expeditions into areas where the frog was once common, in the hope of finding a Juliet for poor Romeo.

The profile begins, "Well, hi there. I’m Romeo. I’m a Sehuencas (pronounced “say-when-cuss”) water frog and, not to start this off super heavy or anything, but I’m literally the last of my species. I know – intense stuff. But that’s why I’m on here – in hopes of finding my perfect match so we can save our own kind (no pressure ;))."

Romeo was collected in Bolivia a decade ago, and Arturo Munoz, founder of the Bolivian Amphibian Initiative, explained in a GWC press release that the frog started to call for a mate about a year after he was brought into captivity.

“But those calls have slowed in the last few years. We don’t want him to lose hope, and we continue to remain hopeful that others are out there so we can establish a conservation breeding program to save this species,” said Munoz.

Match and GWC hope to raise $15,000 by Valentine’s Day to support 10 expeditions.

Match is to match each donation until Valentine’s Day. Credit: Global Wildlife Conservation via Storyful