Effects of the Invasive Cuban Tree Frog in the British Virgin Islands

  Jennifer Owen and Gad Perry

          Non-native species are now present in every nation’s ecosystems and their economic impact is estimated at over $100 billion/year in the United States alone.  They are also the second leading cause of extinctions, and thus of concern for conservationists.  The Cuban Tree Frog (CTF) is currently recorded as invasive in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands.  Our research focuses on the spread of the CTF in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), where it was first seen a decade ago.  To determine impacts in the BVI, we are documenting the CTF’s distribution, determining its diet, and examining its reproductive output.

            Including the latest set of animals, collected during an October 2003 trip, we now have almost 250 preserved specimens at the Natural Science Research Laboratory at the Museum of Texas Tech University.  All preserved specimens have been dissected with stomach and intestinal tracts removed and preserved.  Work on dietary analysis has begun, and preliminary analysis has primarily identified invertebrates such as spiders, roaches, beetles, and ants. However, native vertebrates such as frogs and snakes were also found in the stomachs, confirming the possible impacts to the local fauna.

            Two additional trips to the BVI are planned for July and October 2004, during which further research will be conducted on CTF distribution.  Data collected in this study will be used to inform management decisions regarding current populations and efforts to prevent future spread throughout the United States and the Caribbean.