Hop into FrogID Week!

MEDIA RELEASE 2021 - Bega Valley Shire Council and the Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness citizen science project are encouraging people in the Bega Valley to hop into FrogID week today!

12 November 2021

Bega Valley Shire Council and the Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness citizen science project are encouraging people in the Bega Valley to hop into FrogID week today!

Council’s Environmental Management Officer, Andrew Morrison said FrogID Week is Australia’s Biggest Frog Count, held annually to record frog calls through the free FrogID app. 

“By downloading the FrogID app people can easily record, upload and identify frog calls in their local area,” Mr Morrison said.

“Once uploaded, experts at the Australian Museum in Sydney can identify the frog species in the recordings and gain a better understanding of frog population trends and distribution.

“Importantly, the data helps with the targeting of conservation efforts at a time when frog populations across the country are in decline.

“This information is important as frogs can be a good indicator of environmental health and there are some very special local frogs in the Bega area that we would like to know more about, including the threatened Green and Golden Bell Frog and Watson’s Tree Frog.

“FrogID Week has come at the perfect time because the wet conditions make them easier to find. It’s a great opportunity for people get out to their local dam, stream or swamp and get recording. I can hear six different types of frogs calling from the dam near my place and each has its own distinctive call.

“With the development of apps like FrogID and iNaturalist it’s easy for anyone to become a citizen scientist and make a real difference to the understanding and management of our amazing environment.”

FrogID week runs from today until Sunday 21 November.

For information on how to get involved, head to www.frogid.net.au or download the free FrogID app from the Apple or Google Play stores.

For information on other citizen science projects happening in the Bega Valley region visit the Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness website at https://atlasoflife.org.au/

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