All frogs in the order Anura are Pests of the State of Hawai’i. It is strictly forbidden to release harmful species into the wild; transport them to islands or places in the State for which they are not yet established; or exported outside the State. The coqui is a species of tree frog, native to Puerto Rico, and accidentally introduced to Hawai’i around 1988.
The adaptability of the Coqui frog, and the lack of natural predators in Hawai’i, have contributed to the rapid expansion of the coqui population. In Puerto Rico, a 20 x 20 meter plot of land has an average of 40 adult coqui frogs, while on Hawai’i Island, there are more than 200 adult coqui frogs per 20 x 20 plot. They now occupy about approx. 60,000 acres on Hawai’i Island and also has populations in Maui. The rest of Hawaii’s islands work daily to prevent hitchhiking girls from becoming established across the state.
Source: HurricaneNito
Description:
- Small, nocturnal (night-active) frog about the size of a quarter, up to two inches in length
- Coqui frogs have distinct toe-pads
- Usually brown or gray-brown, may have a lighter stripe down its back
- Male’s mating call is a two-note, high-pitched call sounding like its name…”ko-KEE”
Look-a-Like:
Unlike the coqui frog, the greenhouse frog is common on O’ahu and isn’t controlled by any agency. The greenhouse frog is most often confused for the coqui. Both frogs are small and nocturnal, however there are some key differences to help distinguish the greenhouse frog from the coqui.
- Greenhouse frogs have long, thin toes with NO distinct toe pads (coqui have pronounced toe pads)
- Greenhouse frogs are less than 1 inch long (coqui are about 2 inches long)
- Greenhouse frogs have warty texture to their skin (coqui have smoother texture)
- Greenhouse frog’s skin is mottled with black spots with no mid-dorsal line down their back (coqui skin varies and mid-dorsal line is not always visible)
- Greenhouse frogs’ call sounds more “cricket-like” (coqui have 2-note call).
Harm:
- No natural predators to keep populations in check (and no natural competitors), populations have reached 55,000 frogs per hectare in some Hawai’i populations (24,000 frogs per hectare in Puerto Rico)
- Eat huge quantities of insects, removing insects from forest floor to treetops.
- Loss of insect services such as pollination
- Disrupt the balance of vulnerable native ecosystems
- Potential food source for snakes if they were to arrive
- Loud, incessant and annoying call from dusk until dawn
- Adverse economic impacts on tourism
- Decreased export plant sales
- Disclosure requirement for real estate transactions, has resulted in decreased property values in some locations
