TREE FROG TAKEOVER: Why development may be helping this amphibian invade Florida

You know them for their bulging eyes, webbed feet and distinctive raspy call.

You've probably seen them (or likely heard them) in your backyard.

We're talking about the invasive Cuban tree frog, and this isn't the typical invasive species you're used to seeing.

Unlike the ugly cane and bufo toads known to kill the dogs and other pets who eat them, these almost cartoonish amphibians look much less threatening.

Still, our WPTV Investigates team uncovered that they can be just as devastating—they're aggressive and they're eating their way through Florida's native wildlife.

Leonardo Marchesani/WPTV

"Cuban tree frogs will compete with native tree frogs and in some cases, large Cuban tree frogs have been seen eating our native tree frogs," said Dr. Zack Jud, a scientist with the Florida Oceanographic Society.

Jud said native tree frogs are an important part of Florida's ecosystem. They provide food for other animals and predators and also are paramount for insect control.

"The problem is, in areas with increasing populations of Cuban tree frogs, we’re seeing a decrease in population of native tree frogs," said Jud.

They're also a nuisance. The pesky amphibians have been known to invade toilets, clog drains, and have even crawled into electric boxes—knocking out power for entire communities.

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While they're not deadly, they are covered in a slime that's not pleasant for dogs who may eat them nor humans who may touch them.

"They can cause an allergic reaction," said Jeannine Tilford, of the Toad Buster.

Tilford has decades of experience catching invasive species, Cuban tree frogs included.

WPTV's Kate Hussey went out on a call to catch Cuban tree frogs that invaded a Port St. Lucie backyard. She didn't touch the species without gloves, and keeps Benadryl on hand, just in case.

WPTV

However, it's not the frogs' slimy casing that causes her clients to call. Most times, it's their incessant, screeching croak that keeps her in business.

"And they do that all times of the night?" asked Hussey.

"Yeah, like three in the morning," replied Tilford. “I turned my phone off, I was getting calls at three in the morning, because people were like, they’re keeping me awake!”

The problem is, Tilford said she's seeing more and more of the invasive frogs, and the surprising culprit behind their multiplication may be due to South Florida's constant construction.

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"Like many invasive species, Cuban tree frogs tend to do well in more developed, more disturbed areas," said Jud. "I see more Cuban tree frogs by my house than out in the Everglades, so the more areas we disturb in Florida, the more we open the door to future invasions."

A pre-and-post development map from Florida's climate institute shows Florida's drastic land use change over the past 100 years, including a 50% decrease in wetlands, a 22% decrease in forestry and a 632% in urban areas.

Essentially, we're paving over native tree frog's natural habitats, while creating havens for the very species that kills them off. There isn't much data to show how many Cuban tree frogs there are in Florida, nor how many native tree frogs we have left.

Leonardo Marchesani/WPTV

That's why we went out frog-catching with Tilford to see the changing population for ourselves.

"Oh, here we go, look guys right there!” points Tilford, showing us yet another frog hopping across out path. "It's crazy the numbers now, and I'm slowly getting more and more calls from up north, Alabama and Jacksonville.”

We caught about 30 of the invasive frogs in just one Port St. Lucie backyard, and Tilford said she's caught more than 450,000 invasive toads and frogs since starting her business 10 years ago.

Meanwhile, she sees less and less of the native tree frogs she used to see quite frequently as a child.

Leonardo Marchesani/WPTV

So, what's the solution?

Tilford said she'll continue to catch the frogs causing problems, which she then either humanely euthanizes (she's certified to do so by Florida Fish and Wildlife) or donates the amphibians to a research center.

All the while, she teaches her clients how to keep the pesky amphibians at bay.

"It's a continual battle to control it," said Tilford. "We’ll never get rid of them, but we can definitely be proactive and remove them and drop the numbers down to keep a balance. I notice as we remove them, the native stuff starts to come back and that’s what we want to see."