The Puerto Rican Coqui is a very small tree frog that is about 1 inch long. Some coquies look green, some brown and some yellowish but they are actually translucent. Coquies have a high pitched sound and can be heard from away.The coqui is a very popular creature the island and enlivens the evenings with its timid (ko-kee),from which it gets its name.The coquies begin to sing when the sun goes down at dusk,singing all night long until down.Only the male coqui sings not the female.The coqui is important to me and my family,as well as millions of Puerto Ricans because it has been apart of our cultural history and a symbol for centuries.Since the time of our native Taino inhabitants and its presence shown on many engravings to the present and all the places and objects you will find this symbol represented.It has become a national symbol and icon for anything Puerto Rican. When Puerto Ricans want to express their nationality, they say: ”SOY DE AQUI COMO EL COQUI” (I’M AS PUERTO RICAN AS A COQUI).Did you know the Puerto Rican Coqui dies when outside of Puerto Rico but only for a short amount of time,and the coquies that have survived longer are probably in places where the temperature and humidity is almost identical to the island of Puerto Rico. Ideally,all Coquies belong in Puerto Rico,that’s where nature put them;that’s where they were meant to be.

– Trinity Acevedo

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