Frogs leap for joy at Hawaii's first ever frog sanctuary

(Pahoa, Hawaii) Targetted by the Hawaii government for eradication and burned to death with acid spray, coqui frogs, the beloved national animal of Puerto Rico and adored by millions for their sweet nocturnal “Co-qui” song, have at last found a place of refuge in Hawaii.

On March 1, 2007, the new Hawaiian Coqui Frog Sanctuary and Nature Preserve, located near old town Pahoa on the Big Island, will officially open to the public. Frog lovers and ecotourists who would like to experience the romantic, tropical magic of a forest of frogs chorusing in the moonlight can now visit this 67-acre facility offering a petting zoo, miles of nature trails, and acres of virgin rainforests graced with the sounds of the famous, adorable coqui frog.

Frog affectionadoes are invited to experience "Sunset Serenades", which are educational, guided tours which begin before dusk, as the coquis tune up for thier evening concert. For ecotourists interested in an overnight "coqui encounter", open-air, rustic accomodations are available at the Sanctuary, and at nearby B&B's.

It is Hawaiian tradition to provide a place of refuge, or Pu'uhonua, for condemned criminals. If they could find their way to the refuge, then their lives would be spared. The sanctuary is such a place for the Hawaiian coqui, whose sole crime is to chirp at night, which disturbs some residents.

With frog populations declining and many species becoming extinct worldwide, the Hawaiian Coqui Frog Sanctuary and Nature Preserve can offer an increasingly rare experience of a tree frog enchanted forest. It is also an excellent chance to see how a so-called “invasive species” can really be beneficial to the environment.

The Sanctuary is a project of the Coqui Hawaiian Integration and Reeducation Project (CHIRP), which has been promoting coqui acceptance since 2001. For more information, see our website at www.HawaiianCoqui.org, or contact CHIRP at (808) 935-5563.