Newly discovered tiny rain frog is named after climate activist Greta Thunberg 

A new species of rainfrog, discovered in the Panama jungle, has been named after teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The Greta Thunberg Rainfrog, Pristimantis gretathunbergae, doesn’t exactly bear a close resemblance to the outspoken Swedish teen. 

But it was named after Thunberg by an auction winner after Rainforest Trust auctioned off naming rights for some newly scientifically identified species, as part of its 30th anniversary event. 

The real Thunberg does not appear to have commented on her amphibious namesake. 

A new species of rainfrog, discovered in the Panama jungle, has been named after teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg

The tiny, brightly-colored frog, which has distinctive big black eyes, was discovered on an expedition led by Abel Batista, Ph.D. (Panama) and Konrad Mebert, Ph.D. (Switzerland). Its eyes are unique for Central American rainfrogs.  

Batista and Mebert have worked in Panama for the past decade, where they have found 12 new species and published eight scientific articles.

Greta Thunberg Rainfrog was found in the cloud forest on the Cerro Chucantí reserve, on a ‘sky island’ in eastern Panama.

The expedition reached the area on horseback and finally on foot up steep muddy trails to camp at around 3,000ft, close to the wreckage of two helicopters that crashed decades ago.

Sadly, Greta Thunberg Rainfrog’s habitat is at risk by rapid deforestation for plantations and cattle pasture.

‘Rainforest Trust is deeply honored to sponsor the naming of this exquisite and threatened frog species for Greta Thunberg,’ Rainforest Trust CEO James Deutsch said in a press release

The Greta Thunberg Rainfrog, Pristimantis gretathunbergae, doesn’t exactly bear a close resemblance to its namesake

Meanwhile, the human Thunberg recently took a swipe at Joe Biden in an interview  where she said it was ‘strange’ to consider the president a climate change leader ‘when you see what his administration is doing’.

Thunberg, 18, alleged Biden’s Administration has actually taken actions that worsen the climate crisis despite having promised to combat climate change as part of his Clean Energy Revolution plan.

‘The US is actually expanding fossil fuel infrastructure. Why is the US doing that?’ Thunberg questioned, speaking to KK Ottesen of the Washington Post.

The student also blasted the world’s climate leaders for putting the responsibility of fighting for the environment on the youth.

‘It should not fall on us activists and teenagers who just want to go to school to raise this awareness and to inform people that we are actually facing an emergency,’ she added.

The Biden Administration has set out ambitious goals to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, including reaching 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg (pictured at the COP26 summit in Nov. 2021)  does not appear to have commented on her amphibious namesake

However, the president has been battling a pandemic-caused surge in gas prices, which has led to an increase in global oil production. He also has not yet followed through on his campaign promise to crack down on new oil and gas leasing on federal lands. 

Thunberg’s anger at world leaders is not limited to the Biden Administration.

She blasted November’s United Nations climate summit, known as COP26, as being a ‘PR event’ and a ‘failure’.

Thunberg cited how leaders were unable to secure funding for the Green Climate Fund, which was created to support the efforts of developing countries in responding to the challenge of climate change.