Giant Barred Frog in Maleny
Giant Barred Frogs Mixophyes iteratus, found on the banks of the Obi in Maleny
Did you know that it’s not just in the wild places, but in the towns and even near busy urban streets, that we can find rare and threatened plants and animals. Earlier this month, during a “Find a Frog in February” event presented by Eva Ford from the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee and hosted by Forest Heart, the twenty or so participants were treated to the amazing discovery of Giant Barred Frogs Mixophyes iteratus, right here on the banks of the Obi in Maleny. Giant Barred Frogs are one of our largest native frogs, with a body length of up to 120mm. Their colour is generally a copper-brown, but with daker patches and or stripes. What’s quite outstanding about them are their eyes. Their iris is golden. Over a dozen Giant Barred Frogs were seen at this event, and this is potentially one of the first sightings in Maleny in Decades.
Eva providing an educational presentation on frogs
What a great story this is, on just how important and successful, revegetation can be, in recreating habitat for our endangered fauna. Over 30 years of revegetation works along the Obi in Maleny have shaded the creek, created a deep leaf litter mulch and a diverse canopy, midstorey and understorey of native rainforest vegetation that animals such as the Giant Barred Frog need to survive and thrive.
You might not have a creek in your backyard, but if you let your garden go a little bit wild, with a range of local native trees, vines, shrubs and groundcovers, add some mulch and maybe a water feature or too, then perhaps you too could help create a stepping stone and refuge in your garden for species like this and so many others.
In closing, unfortunately, for Giant Barred Frogs, their size and colouring, confuses some folk and they mistake them with Cane Toads... So, if you’re at all unsure (and perhaps anyway) put away your golf clubs, Dettol or freezer bags and don’t risk killing them!
Working as a team in our spotlighting - thanks everyone!