ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Cuban tree frog from Florida might not have paid for an Uber to travel to another state, but it still managed to hitch a ride in someone's car to North Carolina.
This kind of frog is an invasive and restricted species in North Carolina, the nonprofit BeWild Reptile Rescue said in a Facebook post.
"They pose a danger to pets in the wild," the agency wrote. "Full grown frogs can be 5 to 6 inches long, so they’re definitely a bigger species and often prey on our native tree frog species."
The Cuban tree frog found in the car only weighs around a third of a gram and is placed in a temporary enclosure where he will later be fed pinhead crickets.
BeWild Reptile Rescue said it hopes the little amphibian can teach others about invasive species while remaining in captivity safely.
Cuban tree frogs are not native to Florida and were unintentionally introduced to the Florida Keys from the Caribbean, according to the University of Florida's Wildlife Extension. They can now be found in the southern and mid-Florida region.
These frogs are reportedly not poisonous, but some people who come across and touch them will most likely experience a strong skin reaction and eye irritation caused by the secretions from the skin of the animal.
To learn more about Cuban tree frogs and how to spot them, click here.
