Frogs with a taste for the urban lifestyle have moved into a Whangarei city park, complicating the clean-up of an out-of-commission water fountain.
A rescue mission was mounted and as of yesterday afternoon, WDC's Recreational Services Contractor and coincidental frog enthusiast Nick Connop had removed four from the fountain.
He relocated them to the suburbs, Third Ave's Botanica Fernery, describing it as the "perfect" new home for them.
Meanwhile, one of the frogs made a bid for freedom as a worker showed it to children on the nearby playground. It hopped across the bark, passing between the ankles of a panicked toddler, but was quickly apprehended and delivered to its new home.
University of Otago's frog research leader Professor Phil Bishop said the frogs could have come from backyard water features on Norfolk St, or Cafler or Rugby parks. They could easily hop across a few city blocks on a rainy night, Mr Bishop said. They could also be unwanted pets that had been released.
He said it had been a bumper year for frogs and while the Green and Golden Bells were not native, they were "very endangered" in their Australian homeland, so a lot of New Zealand herpetologists felt the need to protect them.
"It is nice that they've bothered to [save the frogs], being an introduced species they're not obliged to," he said.
Mr Bishop said the flaw in the council's plan could be that frogs often migrated back to where they were captured from, though researchers did not understand how they did this.
"You might have to put some signs on the roads and tell people to slow down - frog crossing - that sort of thing," he said.
Frogs with a taste for the urban lifestyle have moved into a Whangarei city park, complicating the clean-up of an out-of-commission water fountain.
Despite Whangarei District Council's encouragement of inner-city living, contractors have moved the creatures on, as work began yesterday to repair Laurie Hall Park's waterfall fountain. Over winterit had turned into a slimy green frog heaven.
The council had planned to empty and clean the pond - which has had leaks and faults for years thanks to its archaic design - this week, before replacing the pump in January.
But the pond rose to prominence last week when local man Ricki Prime posted a video online bemoaning its "Third World" state.
The Dirtiest video you'll ever watch...
_____________________________
Inspired by: Wayne Thorntons Rant.
Mayor of city:
Sheryl Mai
Council:
Whangarei District Council
Newspaper:
The Northern Advocate
Tagging Radio Stations:
Mai Northland FLAVA
The plot thickened when it was discovered that a swamp of Aussies had moved in: The reasonably common green and golden bell frogs and hundreds of tadpoles.
A rescue mission was mounted and as of yesterday afternoon, WDC recreational services contractor and coincidental frog enthusiast Nick Connop had removed four from the fountain.
He relocated them to the suburbs, Third Ave's Botanica Fernery, describing it as the "perfect" new home for them.
"I'm fairly confident I've managed to get them all. I'm keeping my eyes peeled as they hide in the cracks and crevices along the waterfall."
Slimy Laurie Hall Park waterfall pond. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Contractors were also catching as many tadpoles as they could.
"I'm really enjoying it," Mr Connop said as he fished through the sludge.
Meanwhile, one of the frogs made a bid for freedom as a worker showed it to children at the nearby playground. It hopped across the bark, passing between the ankles of a toddler, but was quickly apprehended.
University of Otago's frog research leader Professor Phil Bishop said the frogs could have come from backyard water features on Norfolk St, or Cafler or Rugby parks.
A frog in the Laurie Hall Park waterfall pond. Photo / Michael Cunningham
They could easily hop across a few city blocks on a rainy night, Mr Bishop said. They could also be unwanted pets that had been released.
He said it had been a bumper year for frogs and while the green and golden bells were not native, they were "very endangered" in their Australian homeland, so a lot of New Zealand herpetologists - frog experts - felt the need to protect them.
"It is nice that they've bothered to [save the frogs], being an introduced species they're not obliged to."
This frog has been moved on from its Whangarei CBD home, as the council works to clean up and repair a neglected water fountain. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Mr Bishop said a flaw in the council's plan could be that frogs often migrated back to where they were captured.
"You might have to put some signs on the roads and tell people to slow down - frog crossing - that sort of thing."
