Quick work can keep invaders from moving in

Kia‘i Moku By Wendy Swee

Kay Deck was puzzled unintended impacts, unlike offi- by a strange noise com- cial biocontrol releases over the ing from her central last half-century, which have Maui garden for several days last been subject to rigorous stan- July. She finally managed to find the dards to ensure effectiveness and source of the noise--an unusual frog, host-specificity. which she captured by throwing a LISSA FOX Photo cloth over it and putting it in a jar. “It “They probably arrived on Maui be- This is the green and black dart-poison doesn’t sound like anything you’ve cause a resident wanted them for frog that was discovered by Central Maui ever heard,” she said of the frog’s their backyard and knew they could resident Kay Deck. Its bright pattern call, which she described as a low- be collected on O‘ahu,” says Fred serves as a warning to would-be predators of its toxicity. Accurate levels pitched noise, like a gargle. She Kraus, Vertebrate Zoologist with the of toxicity are poorly known or called the Maui Invasive Species Bishop Museum, who recently pub- documented here, raising concerns Committee because she knew “we lished a book on alien reptiles and about health hazards to children and don’t want coquí frogs.” MISC staff amphibians. Kraus cited several ex- pets who might be attracted to the frog’s came out to pick up Deck’s frog and amples of animals originally brought bright colors. recognized it as a green and black in as pets which ended up escaping dart-poison frog (Dendrobates aura- or being released into an environ- tus), one of a small number that have ment without the natural predators to been reported on Maui over the last keep their population in check. Ex- At present, the dart-poison frogs ap- ten years. amples are veiled chameleons in Ha- pear to be limited to several valleys waii and pythons in Florida. on O‘ahu; however, no one really The Hawaiian Islands have no native knows how widely distributed they amphibians, but these strikingly Green and black dart-poison frogs are on Maui. If you see a frog with marked frogs are not the first to are native to the tropical rainforests unusual markings, please call MISC reach our shores. On Maui, we now of Central and South America. In- at 573-MISC (6472) to report the have established populations of bull- digenous hunters used the toxic skin sighting. If you can safely capture it, frogs, greenhouse frogs, wrinkled secretions of some members of the please do so. Like Kay Deck, you frogs, and giant or bufo toads. Our dart-poison frog family (there are can help with the early detection of most recent arrival, the coquí frog, is about 160 different species) to poi- new species to our islands. You posing problems across the island son the tips of their blow-gun darts never know what that unusual gargle chain. On the Big Island, realtors and bring down small to medium- might turn out to be, but your report must disclose the presence of coquí sized animals. The frog’s bright pat- might help stop that next costly in- frogs due to their disturbing, high- tern serves as a warning to would-be vader from getting a toehold on decibel calls, and property values and predators of its toxicity. Humans Maui. hotel revenues have suffered as a re- should be careful not to get these sult. Rapid response to the first re- toxins in the bloodstream by ingest- • Wendy Swee is the Education/ ports of coquí frogs in Hawai‘i could ing the poison or rubbing it in eyes or Outreach and Data Associate for have greatly reduced the amount of mucous membranes. Some vertebrate the Maui Invasive Species Com- resources now being spent to control specialists have suggested that green mittee. She previously worked for the invasion. and black dart-poison frogs in Ha- the Hawai‘i Natural History Asso- wai‘i may be less poisonous than ciation at Haleakalā National Green and black dart-poison frogs wild ones found in their native habi- Park and recently returned to Maui after working as a historical likely arrived on Maui from the is- tat, apparently due to dietary differ- interpreter on the mainland. land of O‘ahu, where they were pur- ences. However, accurate levels of “Kia‘i Moku,”(Guarding the Island) posely introduced in 1932 by one toxicity are poorly known or docu- is prepared by the Maui Invasive individual as a misguided attempt to mented here, raising concerns about Species Committee to provide infor- control mosquitoes. This intentional health hazards to children and pets mation on protecting the island from introduction apparently took place who might be attracted to their bright invasive plants and animals that can without testing or consideration of colors. threaten the island’s environment, economy and quality of life.

As submitted to The Maui News. Published February 8, 2009. Page C10.