One third of frogs worldwide — and a quarter in the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast regions — are threatened with extinction.
The Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee (MRCCC) says there’s something you can do about that.
The MRCCC is calling on communities of the Mary, Mooloola, Maroochy, Noosa and Burrum Rivers and coastal areas to get involved in Find a Frog in February (FFF).
Citizen science
Find a Frog in February is a citizen science program facilitated by the MRCCC. It aims to raise awareness about frogs, their habitat needs, threats they face and actions communities can take to care for them.
MRCCC Find a Frog in February workshop lead, Ollie Scully, said finding and identifying frogs in your local area helped protect them.
MRCCC Find a Frog in February lead, Ollie Scully
‘If we want to ensure frogs continue to exist in our environment, we need to keep an eye on where they are and how many there are. Then we can make decisions that ensure their ongoing survival and maybe understand what causes distribution or population changes,’ Mr Scully said.
‘Frogs are very likeable and easy to observe but more importantly, they tell us how our environment is faring,’ Mr Scully said.
Recent weather good for breeding
‘The wet, hot summer conditions that we have been having over the past several months mean frogs are actively feeding and breeding.
‘The best time to find them is after dark where there is temporary or permanent water and lots of complex habitat.
‘By calling at night, frogs avoid many of the daylight predators, such as birds. Luckily for us, their loud calls help us find them.’
The MRCCC is encouraging people to take photos and/or sound recordings of frogs and their locations and submit them to the MRCCC website to get them identified and the data stored.
Ways to send in your observations:
- There’s a FFF record sheet on the MRCCC website: complete and send in for identification, verification and entry to the Queensland WildNet database.
- Use the iNaturalist phone app to submit records – join the app, then the Find a Frog in February Project and submit your photos and recordings of calling frogs.
- Use the FrogID app and join the Find a Frog in February group to submit your call recordings.
Mr Scully said kids and adults alike enjoyed frog-spotting. ‘It entertains kids and provides good info for adults who want to dig a bit deeper in the frog world.’
Tinana State School students frog-spotting in the rain at Woocoo Park for last year’s Find a Frog in Feb. PHOTO: Eva Ford
‘There’s a lot to love about frogs. They’re endearing little critters and quite hard to ignore this time of year.
‘They are indicators of healthy waterways. People are intrigued by them.’
Find a Frog growing in popularity
Mr Scully said Find a Frog February was now in its ninth year and growing rapidly.
‘We started off in 2017 with 76 frog finders and 390 records.
‘In 2024 we had 360 frog finders and 649 frog records.’
He said several dry years saw a decline in many frog species, but the 2024 Find a Frog in February found encouraging signs of recovery.
The 2024 Find a Frog in February Report says: ‘It is with relief that the 2024 data reveals all of these species have shown an increase in the percentage of sites observed. Some have exceeded the levels of 2020.’
Mr Scully said the MRCCC was hopeful that Find a Frog February might find some uncommon frogs this year.
‘It would be great to get more records of the Fleay’s Barred Frog.’
Fleay’s Barred Frog. IMAGE: Stephen Mahony
Super keen frog spotters can get your hands on field guides to help you ID frogs and frog calls including:
- Frogs of the Sunshine Coast Region by Mike Donovan
- The Photographic Field Guide to Australian Frogs by Mark G. Sanders.
Both are available in libraries and bookshops.
To get involved, go to www.mrccc.org.au/frog-in-february/ or call MRCCC on 07 5482 4766.
This program is supported by the Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa Shire Council, Gympie Regional Council and Fraser Coast Regional Council.
Image at top of story is the Orange-eyed tree frog. IMAGE: Oliver Scully
