The amorous amphibian. Match.com
Can this frog find his princess before the stroke of midnight?
Romeo is an 11-year-old Sehuencas Water Frog from Bolivia. He’s also literally the last of his species left on Earth.
For the last decade, Global Wildlife Conservation and the Bolivian Amphibian Initiative have been searching rivers and streams in Bolivia for a mate for the lonely amphibian.
But they haven’t had any success, and the frequency of Romeo’s mating calls has slowed down. Sehuencas water frogs have a life expectancy of only 15 years.
So just in time for Valentine’s Day, Romeo’s handlers are trying out a more modern courtship ritual.
The animal rights groups created a Match.com profile for the forlorn frog. They’ve also teamed up with Match to raise $15,000 for an expedition to find a mate for Romeo.
The dating site is matching donations through tomorrow night as a Valentine’s Day perk.
Romeo’s profile lists him as “never married” with “no kids.” But he “definitely” wants children.
“I tend to keep to myself and have the best nights just chilling at home, maybe binge watching the waters around me,” the amphibious bachelor’s profile reads. “I do love food, though, and will throw a pair of pants on and get out of the house if there’s a worm or snail to be eaten.”
Romeo also lists his favorite book as Frog and Toad Are Friends and his favorite fun activity as “leg days at the gym.”
While Romeo’s situation is more dramatic than many other species, amphibians as a whole are in decline around the world. According to Quartz, one-third of amphibious species are near extinction, including 74 percent of frog species.
Here’s hoping Romeo’s Valentine’s Day isn’t a “toad”al bust.
