The Frog Pond Registry

Special note: November 2002
Due to the arrival of a new disease pathogen to the area in July, backyard measures to reduce fungal diseases are being evaluated and new guidelines will be drawn up. This will have an effect on our Frog Registry program because additional requirements will need to be considered for disease control in backyard ponds. Until the new guidelines are formulated, we are suspending this program. Check back with us in the future for an update. Meanwhile, the program is described below.

A very important step to take if we are to reverse the decline in local frogs is to provide somewhere for them to live and breed. In Cairns particularly, there is very little permanent fresh water and many of the creeks and drains are inundated by salt so they are unsuitable for frogs. During the dry, the Cairns Frog Hospital also finds it difficult to find suitable places to release frogs in many of the inner Cairns suburbs. This means some frogs are held over til the wet season returns and this is a great strain on our very meagre resources.

We are encouraging local residents to install frog ponds on their properties, even if they are small, so that water will be available during the dry and frogs will have more breeding places during the wet. As an extension of this microhabitat creation project, the FDR Project would like to start a registry of ponds. The Registry will provide us with a list of suitable sites for the release of frogs and rescued tadpoles. These frogs will assist in the restoration of frog populations in each suburb.

How Does the Registry Work?

If you have a frog pond on your property, you can register it. This includes ponds which are located on school grounds and commercial premises. The pond and it's surroundings must meet certain frog-friendly criteria. Ponds which meet all requirements will be classed as "Premium Ponds" and those which only meet some of the requirements will be listed as "Standard Ponds".

• None of your details will be provided to anyone for any reason and will be securely stored at the Cairns Frog Hospital.
• Only FDR Project/Cairns Frog Hospital volunteers carrying identification will drop off frogs to you and we will phone to make arrangements first for a mutually suitable time to call in.
• As a registered pond, you will receive frogs which have been cared for at the Cairns Frog Hospital and which are ready to return to the wild. There are no specific numbers involved - the volume of frogs being turned in from your suburb and the numbers of ponds available will determine how many frogs you might receive. Only ponds classed as "Premium" will receive tadpoles.

What Are the Requirements for 'Premium' Ponds?

• Ponds must be designed according to the considerations in our Tropical Frog Ponds page.
• The pond and its surroundings should be a chemical-free zone. Insecticides, herbicides and household products containing solubilizers (for example, fabric fresheners) are to be avoided.
• An exclusion zone should be setup to keep cats and dogs away from the pond and its surrounding vegetation.
• The property owner must inform us immediately of any signs of illness, injury or tadpole die-offs.

What's Different for 'Standard' Ponds?

Ponds which can only meet some of the above criteria will be listed in this category and will only receive frogs occasionally and no tadpoles. (This is because the environmental requirements for tadpoles are greater than for frogs.)

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Once an application to register a pond is received, we will phone to arrange an appointment to inspect the pond and verify the frog-friendly requirements. Then the pond will receive its classification and be added to our list of release sites. There is no fee to register a pond but we would appreciate a donation when frogs are dropped off for release into the pond. Pond owners who also become members of the FDR Project, Inc. will receive useful information about frogs and will not be asked to provide a donation when frogs are released.

If you have any questions or you would like a registration form mailed to you, please contact us.