Community members, volunteers, and staff from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA), and the O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC) are working to remove coqui frogs from state lands. The team navigates challenging terrain to capture these invasive frogs by hand or trap them in tubes. Captured frogs are sent to HDOA for data collection.
The location of each frog is recorded to monitor population changes. Citric acid is used when multiple frogs are heard but not seen. “The citric goes through their skin, and it irritates them,” said DOFAW Field Technician Ryan Chang. He added that citric acid degrades quickly once applied.
Introduced accidentally in the late 1980s, coqui frogs have become a significant invasive species in Hawaiʻi. Their loud calls disrupt native ecosystems, affecting wildlife like the endangered ʻōpeʻapeʻa and pueo owls. In areas with established populations, native insect numbers have decreased.
Beyond biodiversity loss, coqui calls alter Hawaiʻi’s natural soundscape. “I think one of the more devastating things is the soundscape of Hawaiʻi is changing,” Chang noted.
Kimeona Kane recalls quieter times before coqui presence in Waimānalo forests. Now he joins weekly efforts against them, emphasizing shared responsibility: “It cannot just be a blame game… It has to be something that we advocate stronger for.”
Collaborative efforts by HDOA, OISC, DOFAW, and volunteers are crucial in controlling this invasion. “We have volunteers that come every single week,” said Chang.
Community participation is encouraged on specific nights each month for less-experienced hikers. “For keiki, they come out and build pilina,” explained Chang about fostering connections with nature through these activities.
