Archives of The Cold Blooded News

The Newsletter of the Colorado Herpetological Society

Volume 30, Number 9;   September, 2003

What Do You Do With 2,000 Slightly Used Frogs?

The common but nonnative frogs could spread disease or alter ecosystems if they are captured and freed in new locations, Pert said. Since their introduction in 1896, the Easter Bullfrogs already have largely driven out California's native frogs. Department officials are scrambling to come up with an alternative before next May's contest. They plan an internal brainstorming session next month, (Feb. 2003) before they open the discussion to contest organizers, environmentalists and others.

"We don't want to go and bust these contest participants, because they're not trying to do anything horribly wrong; they're trying to do the right thing," Pert said. "We don't want to abolish the contest; we certainly understand the value of it." Fairgrounds manager Warren "Buck" King worries the cleanest way to insure the frogs aren't reintroduced to the environment is to kill them after the contest. That would likely kill the contest itself, said King.

The contest already raises periodic protests from animal rights groups, most recently one last spring lead by a former Miss Calaveras county contestant who was a participant herself 14 years ago.

Contest organizers adopted a "frog welfare policy" in 1997, requiring humane capture, care, and release of the frogs, and banning participants who knowingly violate the policy or otherwise abuse the frogs. No drugs or probes may be used to spur any frog, King said. Most participants bring their own contestants, but organizers catch about 300 frogs to rent during the contest. The rental frogs, and any others that appear injured, overheated or exhausted, are kept in a "frog condo" under the main stage.

Still, King said, the way to make a frog jump is to keep it in a container too small to allow jumping until the contest begins. He said captured bullfrogs typically won't eat, so they must be force-fed hamburger meat. But King said he is proud of the contest's low mortality rate, and neither he nor Pert wants to wind up euthanizing the frogs.

"I'm hoping there are more creative solutions than that," Pert said.

Calaveras county fair and frogjumping jubilee is this month (May), on the 15th, 16th, 17th, & 18th in Frogtown. Frogtown is located on Hwy 49, two miles south of Angels Camp. There is lots to sec and do at this fair. For all the information, check out <frogtown.org>.