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Transporting, harboring or importing coqui frogs with the intent to propagate, sell or release is a class C felony and subject to a MINIMUM fine of $50,000 and a maximum fine of $200,000 plus 3 years in jail.
Seems like they will become a revenue source pretty soon! Has anyone called the police on them? Seems like they have an "intent to propagate" and might be an interesting test case of the anti-coqui laws.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
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There's a disclaimer on there in one of the drop-downs that says they don't encourage anyone to break the law, and then they go on singing the praises of coquis on the rest of the site. They do offer some suggestions on coping with the little devils, though.
I have to say that they have chutzpah, trying to make the coquis into a tourist attraction.
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Sydney Singer has even published a book extoling the virtues of the frog and damning anybody opposed to them. He's quite a nut case.
Edited by - leilaniguy on 09/02/2007 22:47:04
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the property is in Opihikao...and they have a pool- can you imagine that coqui breeding ground???
the gopher
"I find that a great part of the information I have was acquired by looking up something and finding something else on the way." - Franklin P. Adams
Edited by - the gopher on 09/02/2007 23:19:20
"I find that a great part of the information I have was acquired by looking up something and finding something else on the way." - Franklin P. Adams
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I think it's a case where they were given lemons and had no choice but to make lemonade.
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This seems to be a very interesting couple.
Checkout what else they believe at
www.selfstudycenter.org.
Yes, this situation needs to be investigated.
I'll go down with my Coqui stomping shoes to begin the process.....
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It's interesting that Mr. Singer was admitted to no less than three PhD programs and a medical school without completing any of them. He does have an MA in anthropology, though. He uses that particular credential to give health advice. Again, there is a disclaimer on the Self Study Center website stating that he and his wife are NOT practicing medicine.
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I'll have to admit I liked their advice about abandoning bras...but about the coqui's? Hmmm... It seems to me that there IS one very positive thing about the coqui frogs - they have given a voice (and a loud one) to the ongoing alien species invasion in Hawai'i. I know that some people have organized here in the past to control alien plants, but the reaction has been nowhere near as large and sensational as the coqui. Suddenly people all over the island are noticing there's something different, it's loud and annoying and it may even affect their propery values. It's not a crime yet to purposely spread the much quieter strawberry guava, albizia, or fountain grass - but maybe it should be. Interestingly, many invasive plants have arrived here from some of the same sources as the coqui - loads of potted nursery plants coming to Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowes. Wal-Mart in Hilo currently carries several ornamental plants that pose a high risk of becoming invasive, including medinilla, a melastome related to Koster's curse. Lowes in Kailua was reportedly selling strawberry guava not long ago. There is a list of plants banned from importation to Hawai'i, and it's a start, but it's evident there's a lot more to be done, especially sine most of the plants that wound up being invasive here were first brought as ornamental landscape plants. Much less attention has been given to the invasive plant issue, but now we are seeing that it's all part of a larger invasive species problem.
Just a couple of factoids for some perspective: invasive species (plant and animal) are now the number one threat to Hawai'i's ecosytems. It's estimated that before the time of human habitation, only 1 species made it to the Hawaiian Islands and sucessfully reproduced and established itself every 35 to 50 thousand years. Pretty slow, eh? But now there are 20-30 new species arriving every year, some of which, like the coqui, have become invasive pests. This link from the PIER project lists many invasive plants and has a lot of other good info.
http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/hortweeds/
As for the coquis - they're really loud and annoying, and now that they've got our attention....
Uluhe Design
Native Landscape Design
uluhedesign@yahoo.com
Uluhe Design
Native Landscape Design
uluhedesign@yahoo.com
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Now that they have gotten their attention, we should kill them. Ironically, I saw my very first coqui last week....on my property. Mostly, the coquis are a distant sound, on unoccupied properties. And there it was, hopping across the patio, toward the grass. I had to take a second look. It hopped like a frog, but it was so teeny! It looked at me. I could have crushed it with my pinkie and could have cast it out of paradise very quickly with my big fat flat foot....and yet, I could not. I like to think I would have more of a killer instinct with a sprayer in hand. And I did notice a sprayer in the garage. Maybe next time. Maybe next time.....I'll....kill.
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quote:
I just checked out the link Carey provided, and these people seem to be for real. They invested way too much in that website not to be serious. Wow.
Jerry then why did they spell Hawaiian incorrectly on the header "waiian", not such a good job spelling! LOL
mella l
Edited by - mella l on 09/03/2007 16:02:35
mella l
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