How does a frog save itself when it hasn’t even been born?

Every red-eyed tree frog must confront this dilemma. The frogs lay their eggs on plants that lie over ponds. After a week, the tadpoles hatch and drop into the water—at least in theory. In practice, many of the defenceless, immobile, exposed, yummy eggs are devoured by snakes or wasps. Fortunately, they have a solution: super-fast hatching.

WATCH: These red-eyed tree frog tadpoles quickly hatch to escape a parrot snake’s appetite.

For most frogs, hatching is a slow process. The tadpoles release enzymes that break down the jelly coatings of their eggs over the course of several hours. But red-eyed tree frog eggs can hatch in seconds, if the need arises.