Has the county given up on fighting coqui frogs?
91直播 Island is ground zero of the ecological imbalances driven by the spread of the coqui frog, a species brought here through human activity and now thriving without natural checks.
In 91直播’s forests, where native species evolved in isolation, this matters. Coqui frogs consume vast numbers of insects, disrupting fragile ecosystems and placing additional strain on endemic species already under pressure. This real-time issue is not being addressed, perhaps because of the many other issues.
But the response remains out of step with the urgency. Citric acid, the approved method for controlling coqui populations, is both difficult to access in meaningful quantities and prohibitively expensive for many residents trying to manage infestations on their own properties, and at the same time, young people aren’t even aware of the use of citric acid.
We live in a state where other regulated substances, such as cannabis use, are more accessible and, in many cases, less costly.
That imbalance raises a fair question: Why is it easier and more affordable to purchase nonessential regulated products than it is to obtain the very tool communities can use to protect 91直播’s environment?
Compounding the issue is the lack of public awareness. It’s as if 91直播 County has given up on fighting the invasive coqui frog. What next, the coconut rhinoceros beetle?
Many younger people are unaware that citric acid is the most effective federal- and state-approved solution for coqui control (2.75 cups of citric acid to a gallon of water in a sprayer). Without education and access, responsibility can’t be realistically shared.
If 91直播 County is the front line of this crisis, then policy, pricing and public outreach have to reflect reality. We need practical access to approved solutions, citric acid, and we need to ensure the public understands how and why to use it.
The chorus of coqui frogs is more than background noise; it is a signal of imbalance in 91直播’s native ecosystem. Addressing this requires more than acknowledgment; it requires alignment between policy and reality.
I can’t hear the pueo over the frogs. Can you? Can they?
Debbie Misajon
Papaikou
