Wallace’s Flying Frog can glide over 15 meters through the jungle using its massive webbed feet.

Wallace’s Flying Frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus) was first described by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858. Found in the tropical jungles of Malaysia and Indonesia, this species has evolved specialized aerodynamic features. Its feet are fully webbed and exceptionally large, providing a surface area that acts as a wing or parachute when the frog jumps from heights.The frog also possesses lateral skin fringes along its limbs and a specialized skin flap at the base of its tail. These adaptations allow it to glide distances exceeding 15 meters (50 feet) from the canopy to lower branches or the forest floor. During flight, the frog can even maneuver and change direction by adjusting the angle of its webbed toes and limbs.Biologists categorize this behavior as controlled gliding rather than true powered flight. This ability is a survival mechanism that allows the frog to escape predators like snakes and birds while minimizing the energy required to traverse the dense rainforest. Studies published in journals like the Journal of Experimental Biology highlight how these frogs utilize 'banking' turns to land safely on vertical surfaces.The species spends most of its life in the canopy, only descending to the ground to mate and lay eggs in foam nests suspended over water. Their bright green coloration provides camouflage against the leaves, while their yellow sides and black webbing become visible only during their impressive aerial displays. This unique evolutionary path makes them one of the most specialized gliders in the amphibian world.