El coquí is the heartbeat of Puerto Rico.
And it’s more than just a sound. It’s a lullaby passed down through generations, whispering stories from our ancestors about resilience, love, and culture. And it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, it’s the coquí’s call that brings us back home. Not just to the island, but to the memories, the warmth, and the spirit of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico is home to 17 species of Eleutherodactylus frogs, commonly known as coquís. This less-than-an-inch-long frog is endemic to Puerto Rico. And they trace back to the Taínos, the Indigenous population of Borikén, who named the frog after the sound it makes: “co-quí.” Of these, three species are extinct, while several others are experiencing population declines. For example, the Mountain Coquí, endemic to the island’s central mountains, has seen significant declines and is classified as endangered. These are due to habitat loss, climate change, diseases and now a new threat: tourists.
Many tourists are now learning about the coquí frog as they are coming to Puerto Rico to experience what everyone on social media has been raging about. In 2024, the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport reported record growth of over 6.6 million passenger arrivals. Meaning so many newcomers are diving into our culture and what the island has to offer. But the same way so many tourists appreciate it, others want to destroy it.
Recently, a post went viral on Reddit titled “Spray to keep noisy frogs quiet,” where a user described hearing a couple at a restaurant in Condado “talking about spraying at their Airbnb to keep the frogs from croaking all night long as they are extremely loud.” The user continued saying they didn’t catch what type of product it was but wanted to know if anyone on Reddit knew what they might be using.
The post is now deleted, but Puerto Ricans and Latine people rose up to take action and speak out about the coquí. Post after post saw Boricuas condemning the entitlement of visitors wanting to destroy an important part of the flora and fauna of our island and something that ties us to our ancestral lands.
Señor Edison spoke on the issue on his TikTok and said, “That is unacceptable, that is crazy, and that should be illegal.”
Others like melecionews spoke about El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico. And he included another similar story to the Reddit post that had a video of someone overhearing how the resort got rid of their coquís. He demanded answers as to who did this and why they thought it was right.
And other creators like moevibe posted about the situation and said, “If you’re visiting Puerto Rico and the sound of coquís bother you, don’t even go to Puerto Rico.”
Even Dora the Explorer was brought into the mix as people referenced an episode from her first season where the coquí was featured, having lost their ability to sing and looking to Dora for help.
At the end of the day, tourists willingly speaking out on the destruction of the coquí because they’re “noisy” is grounded in a mindset that sees our culture, community, and land as something expendable. We’re not. We never have been. So remember that you’re a visitor in a land with thousands of years of history. That includes the coquí. And if it’s too noisy, you can always go back home.
