Voice of Stephanie Salazar

Raymond McGuire, the Hawaii County Coqui Control Coordinator says the past few surveys that were conducted in Waimea were “fruitless”, because cold temperatures have silenced the frogs, for now.

With that in mind, the Waimea Community Association reports the group found no new coqui populations since the Puanuanu Place population was found. They also conducted a survey in the Kohala Forest Reserve above Waimea, through Wright Road and Lindsey Road, but did not hear any coqui.

The Waimea Community Association says McGuire will come to Waimea to train a small team of coqui “first responders” if there is a property owner with coqui who is willing to let him on their property for the training. The association says “you can help your community and get rid of coqui on your property at the same time.”

From Sherm Warner of the WCA:

We don’t want Waimea to sound like this: coqui chorus (EDITOR’S NOTE: off site audio file link)

Raymond McGuire, the coqui control coordinator for Hawaii County, wrote this week that “the past few surveys that we conducted in Waimea were fruitless. Even the populations of frogs we knew of were not calling those nights we surveyed due to the cold and winds of winter. But just to recap, we found no new coqui populations since the Puanuanu Place population (though, even this population was not calling during our surveys). We conducted a survey in the forest reserve above Waimea (Kohala Forest Reserve) through Wright Road and Lindsey Road, but did not hear any coqui (though it could be weather related).”

As the weather warms up, we are sure to hear coqui again in Waimea, and we should be forming a response team to deal with new populations as they occur. If we don’t attack the known infestations this summer, we will be surrendering to an invasive pest that will change our way of life in Waimea.

Raymond McGuire will come to Waimea to train a small team of coqui “first responders” if we can find a property owner with coqui who will let us their property for the training. You can help your community and get rid of coqui on your property at the same time. If you know that you had coqui last year but you haven’t heard them for a few months, they haven’t gone away; they’re quiet during colder months. If you can help or if you know someone else who might offer to help, please email Sherm Warner at wcapres@hawaiiantel.net.

Click here for more information on coqui.