By Chuck
Squatriglia
Published: May 17, 2003
San Francisco Chronicle
It's time again for the storied Calaveras County Frog Jumping
Jubilee, and state biologists fear that the croakers vying
for bragging rights might be dumped in the nearest pond afterward,
placing native frogs at risk of disease.
The annual event, celebrating its 75th year this weekend,
draws hundreds of competitors and some 1,500 bullfrogs from
throughout Northern California and beyond. Once there, all
the frogs jump around on the same faux "lily pad."
Therein lies the problem.
"The concern is that when you bring together animals
from different areas and they commingle, they can spread disease,"
said Ed Pert, head of the fisheries program at the state Department
of Fish and Game. "It's the perfect model for disease
transmission."
Dumping the bullfrogs somewhere other than where they were
found also allows more aggressive species of frogs to gain
a foothold in new areas, potentially pushing out meeker varieties
such as the endangered red-legged frog, Pert said.
Eager to protect California's dwindling numbers of native
frogs, Pert and department biologist Stafford Lehr spent much
of the past week working with contest organizers to find ways
to prevent spreading diseases or bullfrogs to new areas.
After debating such tactics as using a disinfectant to clean
the green- carpeted competition arena or having competitors
dunk their frogs in an antiseptic bath -- both of which were
deemed impractical -- the biologists and organizers settled
on a simple solution:
Event organizers will find a home for any frog a competitor
plans to leave in the nearest pond or ditch.
"If little Tommy or little Mary brings a frog they grabbed
from their local pond, I've agreed to take the frogs and put
them in our local pond here," said Bud King, director
of the Calaveras County Fair. "It's a simple matter of
a little common sense."
Signs posted around the fairgrounds remind folks that they
can toss their frogs into the pond there, and green flyers
urge them to "be frog-friendly."
Authorities said their greatest concerns aren't with the
seasoned competitors -- who often catch their frogs and release
them in the same spot year after year -- but with the rookies
who grab any ol' frog and don't know what to do with it afterward.
Many participants -- once aware of the risks -- seemed more
cautious, said Kathy Newland of the Calaveras County town
of Copperopolis, who competed Friday.
"They were really working hard to keep them separate
and not let them mix together," she said.
Like many competitors, Newland arrived empty-handed and grabbed
a "rent-a- frog" from a barrel provided by the organizers.
Her croaker jumped about 3 feet -- well short of the 13-foot,
3-inch leap a co-worker's borrowed bullfrog managed.
"It's a lot of fun, if you don't mind getting up there
and jumping around and looking like a fool to make your frog
jump," Newland said with a chuckle.
Although Newland has been attending the Frog Jumping Jubilee
for many years and been a competitor three times, she said
most folks weren't aware of the health risks it might pose
for California's frogs.
Pert said biologists hadn't really thought much about it
until the past few years, when they began to understand more
thoroughly just how precariously California's native frogs
species -- especially the red-legged and yellow- legged varieties
-- are clinging to life.
"Now that we have some (endangered and threatened) species
of frogs in California, we need to be careful about introducing
disease into their habitat, " Pert said
Of the greatest concern is iridio virus, commonly known as
"red-legged disease," and Chytrid fungus, which
can stunt growth and place frogs -- and other amphibians --
at greater risk for disease and infections.
Reprinted from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/05/17/MN237864.DTL
