Let’s all hop to it – and help count Hornsby Shire’s fascinating frogs!
With endangered frog populations set to decline sharply over winter, Hornsby Shire Council is working with local experts to undertake Australia’s biggest frog ‘census’ – and you can help, too!
Council and the Berowra-based Frog and Tadpole Study Group (FATS) are calling on nature lovers to help gather frog population data from around Sydney, including our Hawkesbury sandstone bluffs, using special ‘frog listening’ smartphone technology developed by the Australian Museum.
The Museum’s free ‘Frog ID’ app ’listens’ for frog species’ unique calls − and then ‘counts’ the frogs around your home, your holiday location or anywhere else it ’hears’ a frog.
“Australia’s frogs have been hit particularly hard by a mysterious nationwide die off,” explains Hornsby Shire Council General Manager, Steven Head.
”The Australian Museum’s ‘Frog ID’ citizen-science project aims to improve our understanding of Australia’s unique frog species by using the ‘frog census’ data to better understand frog health and how our ecosystems are responding to a changing planet.
“To take part in this fascinating project, simply download the free ‘Frog ID’ app, create an account, then have fun finding, recording and helping Museum scientists match your frog calls.”
To download the free Frog ID app, go to https://www.frogid.net.au/
‘FATS’, the community group dedicated to community awareness and conservation of frogs, have produced two short, informative videos to help Hornsby Shire residents protect two endangered local frog species:
- the tiny Red Crowned Toadlet, and
- the Giant Burrowing Frog.
To find out more about these two fascinating frog species from Hornsby Shire and to watch the videos go to https://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/frogid
