honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, March 6, 2003

Big Island group vows to continue coqui fight

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Staff Writer

While a multimillion-dollar plan to rid Hawa'i of noisy Caribbean frogs is being updated to acknowledge that eradication is no longer possible on the Big Island, a group spearheading the battle on hasn't given up hope.

"We are not ready to concede anything," University of Hawai'i entomologist Arnold Hara, coordinator of Big Island's Coqui Frog Working Group, said in a statement yesterday.

Group officials said significant progress has been made in the past year in identifying more effective eradication methods, including a 16 percent citric acid solution that kills frogs and their eggs.

The group, formed last year, comprises members from several federal, state and county agencies.

In addition to developing nonchemical control strategies such as trapping and hot water treatment, the group has helped disseminate information to the public and put together large-scale field projects, including a citric acid demonstration project at Lava Tree State Park.

State agricultural officials also have been lending out 100 gallon sprayers to community groups and neighborhood associations and urging homeowners to buy and use citric acid if they hear frogs in their area.

"We've really kicked the eradication effort into high gear," said county spokesman Bill Kenoi. "We've got multiple state and federal agencies working together on field research, pesticide development, community education and outreach. We are going to continue to fight to eradicate the coqui frog from this island."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services branch is modifying a $10.7 million plan to acknowledge that eradication isn't possible on the Big Island.

Earl Campbell, Pacific invasive species coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, last week agreed that eradication is doubtful on the Big Island given the number of frogs and governmental limitations on control techniques.

"If we had the ability to use all the techniques, then we could knock them back," said Campbell.