Flaviemys purvisi
Very Well-Known Member
May 30th, 2018
By Nadia Budihardjo
BACKYARDS near Canning River may be potential homes for a frog species native to south-west WA during its breeding season.
The male moaning frog calls in a long, drawn out croak for a female after the first heavy rains in autumn.
Western Australian Museum Curator of Herpetology Paul Doughty said moaning frogs usually call in April and May but there may be late callers in June.
“There was a ton of moaning frogs around Cannington, along the Canning River as they go to low-lying areas that would flood later,” he said.
“Some teen males will go to people’s irrigated gardens to dig a hole but it is unlikely females will visit the burrow and the calls drive people absolutely bonkers.
“In those cases, gently flood the burrow night after night or you can put the frog in a bucket and drop it back to the river.”
Dr Doughty said moaning frogs were the first frog species to start calling and different species would follow as Perth gets wetter.
“If you think you hear a frog, you can turn on the FrogID app and get a thirty seconds soundbite to submit to WA museum who will verify the call,” he said.
FrogID is free to download from the app store.
