Here on the Big Island of Hawai'i, the Coqui Frog has taken hold, especially at the lower elevations on the East side. Many areas of Puna, Hilo, and Hamakua have become inundated with the incessant night time chirping.

Hawai'i's lush vegetation, warm temperatures and high humidity not only welcome human visitors but indiscriminately provide a tropical paradise for the more than 1,000 alien plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates that have been accidentally introduced from all corners of the world over the past 65 years. Some have become established at the expense of native species, competing for habitat and nutrient sources.

One species that has garnered much attention recently is the coqui frog, Eleutherdactylus coqui. Its ability to quickly adapt to Hawai'i from its native Puerto Rico and reach unprecedented numbers, the absence of predators, and its noisy mating behavior have made the coqui frog the target of government and community eradication and control efforts. 

Why Are Coqui Frogs a Problem in Hawai'i?   

The coqui frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui Thomas (Anura: Leptodactylidae), was accidentally introduced into Hawai'i from Puerto Rico in about 1988. Aside from being a major noise nuisance, the frogs pose a threat to Hawai'i’s island ecosystem. Coqui frogs have a voracious appetite that puts Hawai'i’s unique insects and spiders at risk. They can also compete with endemic birds and other native fauna that rely on insects for food. The frogs are quite adaptable to the different ecological zones and elevations in the state and have been found from sea level to 4,000 feet elevation (at sites in Volcano on Hawai'i). Scientists are also concerned that an established coqui frog population may serve as a readily available food source if (or when) brown tree snakes are accidentally introduced in Hawai'i.

Coqui populations have exploded in the last 15 years from presumably a single infestation to over 200 on the Big Island alone. They are also present on Maui (40 or more infestations), O`ahu (5 sites) and most recently on Kaua`i (1 site, subject of an eradication effort with citric acid in June 2003). Puerto Rico averages 40 frogs (reproductively mature adults, not including juveniles) per 20 x 20 m plot compared to > 200 in Big Island plots, primarily because of the lack of predators (owls, snakes, tarantulas, scorpions) in Hawai'i.

The Life Cycle of a Coqui Frog

Coqui frogs belong to a genus of frogs that do not have a tadpole stage and therefore do not require a body of water to reproduce. Instead, the female lays the eggs on damp moss or leaf litter, or inside a rolled or folded leaf, and the eggs are brooded by the male, who keeps them moist until they hatch.

At first, the eggs look white to off-white and opaque, about the size of large tapioca pearls. As they mature, the eggs enlarge, darken and become transparent, resembling papaya seeds, with the frog embryo visible inside. When the tiny froglets hatch in 14-17 days, they are about ½ inch (5 mm) long.

In its native Puerto Rico, the female coqui frog usually lays a cluster or clutch of 34-75 eggs four to six times a year; however, under laboratory conditions in Hawai`i, mating pairs produce a clutch every 2½ weeks without loss of fertility – that’s 26 clutches a year, or more than 1,400 eggs per female per year! It takes about 8 months for froglets to mature. Adult coqui frogs may live as long as 4-6 years.

A Homeowner's Guide to Coqui Frog Control

FIRST, KNOW YOUR ENEMY:

    * Coqui do NOT breed in water.  They have no tadpole stage.  The eggs are laid on land and they hatch out as tiny frogs.  Remember, they are tree frogs.
    * The males are the singers.  If you hear only one frog, that doesn't mean you have only one frog.  It just means you have only one male.  That situation will change shortly, and soon you'll have hundreds of males.
    * At dusk (or earlier if its overcast), the males climb your trees and start singing.  The females will climb up for mating.
    * Daytime hangout is anywhere there is cover: tall grass, under fallen leaves, logs, rubbish, etc.

SECOND, CLEAN UP YOUR ACT:

    * Cut your grass on the lowest mover setting and rake it up.
    * Rake up the fallen leaves.  Broadcast hydrated lime on your lawn to sweeten the soil and   discourage the frogs.
    * Take all that stuff laying around outside and haul it off to the dump: flowerpots, PVC;   anywhere a frog the size of a dime can hide.  You've probably been meaning to do this anyway.

THIRD, MAKE THEM COME TO YOU:

    * Sure, you can tromp around for hours trying to locate one of the little buggers, and work up a great deal of frustration, or you can lure them to you.  Make a recording of their call.  Place a speaker up high outside your door where your night light will illuminate the action.  Lean a log from the floor to the speaker.  At night, play the recording.  The females will flock to your speaker, and you can pick off the little hussies.

FOURTH, STICK IT TO THEM:

    * Identify the trees harboring males.  At eye level, wrap the trunks in fly paper.  You'll catch both sexes and can pick them off.  The fastest way to kill the caught frogs is to step on them.  If that's too violent for you, freeze them or put them in a jar and lime them or pour boiling water on them.  Pau frogs! 

The University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) knows all about How to Control Coqui Frogs.

Map of Coqui Frogs on the Big Island

How to Control Coqui Frogs

Coqui frogs in Lawai, Kauai nearly eradicated  July 4, 2008 

The Hawaiian monk seal is the official Hawaii State mammal.

Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona signed a bill into law last week giving the endangered and much-beloved seal the official designation. Wildlife experts—who have long considered the seal one of the world’s most-endangered species—hope the move will raise international awareness about the native Hawaii mammal’s plight.

Roughly 1,200 Hawaiian monk seals remain in the wild—about 80 to 100 of these in waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands. The new bill will give the monk seals the same protection as the also endangered humpback whale—Hawaii's marine state mammal.

The Hawaiian monk seal population declines by about 4 percent each year. But experts are hopeful that the animal’s designation as an official state symbol will boost seal numbers again. Four monk seal pups have already been born this year.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been implementing monk seal outreach and education programs for years. Find out more about the Hawaiian monk seal and NOAA’s efforts to protect it here.  

Hawaiian monk seals are among the most endangered species of all seals, although its cousin species the Mediterranean Monk Seal is even rarer, and the Caribbean Monk Seal, last sighted the 1950's, was officially declared extinct in June 2008.  The Hawaiian monk seal was officially designated as an endangered species on November 23, 1976 and is now protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is illegal to kill, capture or harass a Hawaiian monk seal.

Monk seal species have shown alarming population declines in recent years due to the rapid spread of human activity to even the most remote and isolated areas in the Hawaiian Islands. In the nineteenth century, Hawaiian Monk Seals were clubbed to death by whalers and sealers for their meat, oil and their skin. They were also hunted during World War II when the US forces occupied Laysan Island and Midway.

Death from predation by sharks, reduced pup survival as the result of human disturbances, ciguatera poisoning, high male to female ratios during the breeding season, and entanglement in fishing nets and debris all have led to the species' decline. These threats have taken a toll on the species, as it has been nearly eradicated from part of its former range (including Oahu, Kaua'i, and the Big Island of Hawaii), yet rare sightings still occur on the North Shore of Kauai in Haena, and also at Hakalau Bay on the Big Island. Monk seals are currently found on Laysan, Midway, Pearl and Hermes Atoll, French Frigate Shoals, and Lisianski.

The University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization (UHERO) has released its second Hawaii Economic Forecast for 2008 (UHERO releases these reports on a quarterly basis). While the current report predicts (more than previously expected) slowing of the Hawaii State Economy, the economic outlook for Hawaii still remains brighter than many mainland and global economies.

Following is a brief summary of the UHERO report:

The 2008 forecast for visitor arrivals growth has been reduced from -1.9% to -4.6% because of the failures of ATA and Aloha Airlines and the surge in oil prices.

The forecast has been reduced for 2008 real income growth by nearly half a percent, from 0.3% to -0.1%. A slight 0.2% contraction in payroll jobs is now expected both this year and next. Employment will fall by about half a percent this year and next.
Higher food and especially energy costs will keep inflation at 5% this year, before significant cooling in 2009.

Prospects for the 2008 Hawai'i economy have worsened significantly since the March Annual Hawai'i Forecast. The failures of ATA and Aloha Airlines, the loss of a second NCL cruise ship, and the dramatic surge in oil prices will damage a local economy that was already feeling the effects of the national downturn. Small net declines are now expected in both real income and jobs this year, and higher 5% inflation.

While 2009 should bring improvement, a significant recovery of the local economy will not begin until 2010, making this a relatively shallow but lengthy Hawai'i economic contraction. A deeper slowdown could occur if oil prices remain at their current record levels or if the national housing slump worsens more than expected.

Hawai'i Economic Indicators (Annual % Growth Rates)*

*Source is UHERO. Figures for 2008-2009 are forecasts.

How does all of this affect the Hawaii real estate market? Are all areas of Hawaii affected in the same way? Want to know the current status of the real estate market for the Hawaii area you are interested in?  Contact Island Trust Properties today for detailed market reports and accurate explanations.

Complete UHERO Forecast

UHERO Economic Information Service

A new Hawaii Flood Hazard Assessment Tool is now available to help homeowners locate and evaluate their flood hazard risks based on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps.