HONOLULU — The state Department of Agriculture says two coqui frogs were captured on Oahu this month.
The department said Wednesday it’s concerned that those who heard the amphibians failed to notify authorities right away in both cases.
Staff at a Waikiki hotel captured one frog in newly planted landscaping. Inspectors say hotel staff captured the frogs themselves because they were concerned about negative publicity.
Inspectors captured the other frog in Kalihi Valley after a resident reported hearing one at his neighbor’s. The home’s owner told inspectors he heard the coqui for months but didn’t report it.
The department says people shouldn’t try to capture the frogs themselves because this may cause the frogs to scatter.
The frogs are invasive and reproduce quickly in Hawaii because they don’t have natural predators here.