Plan to get rid of frogs croaks early
Associated Press
HILO » A man claims he has a possible solution to rid the Big Island of the pesky and noisy coqui frogs but says the county is not interested.
Mark Munekata, a former biological technician with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said baking soda appears to eradicate the tiny frogs.
But Karen Shiroma, project manager for the county's Coqui Frog Control Program, balked at further study because Munekata would need a special certification and an experimental use permit.
Coqui frogs, and their unique nocturnal chirping, are beloved in their native Puerto Rico. But in Hawaii, where there are no snakes or other natural predators of the amphibians, the frogs have become a nuisance.
Thousands of coqui frogs pack forests and private gardens on the Big Island and Maui, generating a deafening roar some residents compare to the sound of jet planes.
Shiroma said her office has not looked into the baking soda idea since it was discussed months ago.