Coqui Frog Eradication Project Lawai, Kauaito Kauai • Early Efforts • Current Efforts •...
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Coqui Frog Eradication Project Lawai, Kauai 1 st International Conference on Coqui Frog Hilo, Hawaii February 8, 2008 Keren Gundersen, KISC Project Manager
Transcript of Coqui Frog Eradication Project Lawai, Kauaito Kauai • Early Efforts • Current Efforts •...
Coqui Frog Eradication Project Lawai, Kauai
1st International Conference on Coqui FrogHilo, Hawaii
February 8, 2008Keren Gundersen, KISC Project Manager
Project Overview
• Introduction of coqui to Kauai
• Early Efforts• Current Efforts• Electronic Monitoring• Project
status/projections• Needs
REX
Kauai coqui frog infestation site
• Suspected introduction in 1999 to Lawai• Coqui were likely brought in via the
nursery trade • Frogs went undetected for 2-3 years,
establishing a breeding population
Introduction of coqui to Kauai
Early Efforts
• USDA-WS-RC – EPA approval for citric acid (2002-2003)
• Sporadic spraying (by various groups)• Heavy foliage• No plan• By 2005 population had exploded and was
starting to expand
Current Efforts
• Clearing• Chemical control
– Citric acid– Hydrated lime– Vegetation control w/herbicide
• Site monitoring– Coqui habitat
• Outreach
ClearingExtensive hydro-axe clearing of vegetation
Chemical Control16% Citric Acid
3% Hydrated Lime
Selective use of
RoundUp and Garlon 4
MonitoringCoqui habitat
• Long term commitment
• Will continue to continuously monitor up to 12 months after last calling frog is heard
• 150 traps throughout site x 700+ days
• 1 frog captured
PVC Refugia Traps
Outreach
http://www.hear.org/kisc/coqui_news/Worksite signage
Weekly work notification flyers
Work Notification Policy: http://www.hear.org/kisc/pdfs/200704coquiworknotificationpolicy.pdf
Outreach
Bumper stickers
“Nuf Already!”Pest Hotline Frog Swatter
Fairs and Events
Coqui PSA’s
Electronic Monitoring
Olympus VN2100 model digital voice recorders
- Small size (10x4 inches)
- Time activated recording
- Low cost ($40).
Monitoring Goal:
To show a measurable decline in the coqui population (other than human observation)
Custom housing
- Rainproof- Shields recorder’s microphone
from wind
Recorder locations
• Started sampling March 27th• Recording 2-4 nights per week• 2 minutes per night• Varied sample time
Temporal Frequency Analysis
Coqui with dogs and roosters Coqui with buzzing bug
Coqui with hard rain
Comparison of frequencies
• Quantitative analysis• Automated call detection tools
New Software
Apply frequency filter:
Automated Detection
Run detection tool:
Automated Detection
Location 4
0
50
100
150
200
250
4/9/20074/19/20074/29/2007
5/9/20075/19/20075/29/2007
6/8/20076/18/20076/28/2007
7/8/20077/18/20077/28/2007
8/7/20078/17/20078/27/2007
9/6/20079/16/20079/26/200710 /6/200710 /16 /200710 /26 /2007
# CallsAverage # Calls
Graph Results
Showing all chemical treatments within 10 meters of the recorder
Location 4
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
4/9/20074/19/20074/29
/20075/9/20
075/19/20075/2
9/2007
6/8/20076/1
8/2007
6/28/20077/8/20077/18/2
0077/28/2007
8/7/20078/17/20078/27/2007
9/6/20079/16/20079/26/200710
/6/2007
10 /16 /2007
10/26/2007
CitricLime# CallsAverage # Calls
Compare Results to Treatments
Location 1
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
4/9/20
074/1
9/2007
4/29/2
0075/9
/2007
5/19/2
0075/2
9/2007
6/8/20
076/1
8/2007
6/28/2
0077/8
/2007
7/18/2
0077/2
8/2007
8/7/20
078/1
7/2007
8/27/2
0079/6
/2007
9/16/2
0079/2
6/2007
10/6/
2007
10/16
/2007
10/26
/2007
CitricLime# CallsAverage # Calls
Location 4
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
4/9/20
074/1
9/2007
4/29/2
0075/9
/2007
5/19/2
0075/2
9/2007
6/8/20
076/1
8/2007
6/28/2
0077/8
/2007
7/18/2
0077/2
8/2007
8/7/20
078/1
7/2007
8/27/2
0079/6
/2007
9/16/2
0079/2
6/2007
10/6/
2007
10/16
/2007
10/26
/2007
CitricLime# CallsAverage # Calls
Location 1 and 4
Location 5
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
5/20/2
0075/3
0/2007
6/9/20
076/1
9/2007
6/29/2
007
7/9/20
077/1
9/2007
7/29/2
007
8/8/20
078/1
8/2007
8/28/2
007
9/7/20
079/1
7/2007
9/27/2
00710
/7/20
0710
/17/200
710
/27/200
7
Citric Lime# CallsAverage # Calls
Location 6
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
5/20/2
0075/3
0/2007
6/9/20
076/1
9/2007
6/29/2
007
7/9/20
077/1
9/2007
7/29/2
007
8/8/20
07
8/18/2
0078/2
8/2007
9/7/20
079/1
7/2007
9/27/2
00710
/7/20
0710
/17/200
710
/27/200
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Citric Lime# CallsAverage # Calls
Location 5 and 6
• This method counts calls, not frogs
• The range at which a call can be detected varies, depending on call density
• The detection process tends to underestimate call density on loud nights, and overestimate on nights with few or no calls
• Our methods can change as our monitoring goals change
Electronic Recording Limitations & Variability
Pablo Yañez
Project status/projections• 2007
– 49,623 gallons of citric acid– 32,812 gallons of hydrated lime – 4,702 person hours
• 2008– Continue weekly treatments 2x weekly– Continue to monitor site and nurseries– Respond to new island reports
Needs
• Continued funding• Increased inter-island
quarantine• On-island hot water
treatment facility (mobile?)
• Increased public education and outreach
Coqui Field Crew
Duane Patricio, Joseph Aguon-Kona (Supervisor), Cherylann Lemalu, Kevin Sasaki, Robert Diaz
(not pictured: Cyrus Correia, Lisa St. Amant, Bradley Morita)
Partners & Kauai Coqui Working Group
HDOA
County of Kauai
CTAHR
DOFAW USDA- Wildlife ServicesLAWAI NEIGHBORING
RESIDENTS
END
