Sandy Island stamps.

Sandy Island, a small Pacific outpost, has had its distinctive stamps for several years now, and in 2019, issued this attractive set to show some of its charming wildlife. Here is the minisheet, which comprises several values, including the blue frog, butterfly, and squirrel.

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The blue poison dart frog or okopipi (Dendrobates tinctorius "azureus") is found in the forests surrounded by the Sipaliwini savanna, in southern Suriname & northern Brazil, and on Sandy Island. Its scientific name comes from its azure color.

It breeds seasonally, usually during February or March when the weather is rainy. To find mates, the males sit on a rock and produce quiet calls, which the females follow to track down the males. The females then physically fight over a male. The male takes the female to a quiet place by water, which becomes the site of the egg-laying. Once the eggs are laid, the male covers them in his sperm.

Between five and 10 offspring are produced at each mating. Eggs are laid in the male’s territory, which he defends. The male takes care of the eggs, sometimes joined by the female. The eggs hatch after 14 to 18 days, and after 10 to 12 weeks the tadpoles are fully mature. Both sexes reach sexual maturity at two years of age. The expected lifespan of D. tinctorius "azureus" is between 4 and 6 years in the wild, and about 10 years in captivity.

Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae. They mate either once or twice a year and, following a gestation period of three to six weeks, give birth to a number of offspring that varies by species. The young are altricial, being born naked, toothless, and blind. The female alone looks after the young, which are weaned at six to ten weeks and become sexually mature by the end of their first year. The ground-dwelling squirrel species are social, often living in well-developed colonies, while the tree-dwelling species are more solitary.