Coqui frogs have been a nighttime nuisance on Hawaiʻi Island since the 1980s, when they were accidentally introduced from Puerto Rico.
Their populations have exploded on the Big Island, and one study found that in the past 14 years, the frogs have gone from occupying 30% of roadside areas to half of them — and the frogs may be moving into higher-elevation habitats, too.
But what makes them so good at being an invasive species? A new paper titled “Fortune may favor the flexible" explores what makes coqui frogs such successful invaders in Hawaiʻi.
Eva Fischer, an assistant professor at the University of California, Davis, spoke with The Conversation about how an invasive species like the coqui manages to thrive outside its native habitats.
This story aired on The Conversation on Aug. 4, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
