American bullfrog hunter says B.C. wildlife officials need to spring into battle

VICTORIA – Amphibian hunter Stan Orchard says now’s the time to get the jump on a population of invasive predators on southern Vancouver Island.

The dinner-plate-sized American bullfrogs have mouths nearly as wide as their bodies and will gobble down anything they can, including bugs, birds and fish.

Municipal officials with the Capital Regional District around Victoria, B.C., sprang into action against the bully bullfrogs back in 2006 and have nearly doubled the budget for the control program this year.

In fact, a report to the regional district recommended officials spend about $74,000 on control efforts.

Orchard is now courting the provincial government, saying it’s still possible to wipe out the introduced amphibian, but wildlife officials need to hop to it.

He says local municipalities have historically been the only funding providers of the bullfrog eradication effort, which means it has been limited in scope. (CFAX, The Canadian Press)