A question for members of the Forum from New Zealand...

[Jess]

Do you think it would be possible, or have you tried, to get Whites, or even Red Eyed tree Frogs into New Zealand? Particularly from Australia.
I've just emailed MAF to see what they say...though since we have none here I'd say we can't, or it would be EXTREMELY pricy, to get them in. I'd really love to though!

[Ebony]

Hi Jess, I know a couple of years ago someone was selling Whites tree frogs on Trade me. MAF heard about it and apparently tracked all the frogs down and destroyed them. Back in the 1800 when the Green & Goldens, Southerns and the Whistling tree frogs were introduced to NZ, so were the Whites but MAF say they didn't survive and so anyone keeping these frogs and are court get prosecuted and the frogs destroyed. MAF are very strict so we will never be able to have these frogs or any other frogs that come from out of NZ :-(.

I know someone who was involved in this and it was devastating for them. But MAF must know what they are doing and its for our own Natives safety.

[Whistly]

I've often wondered about it but MAF would probably say no knowing how strict they are.

[Jess]

Even if you got a permit, and were prepared to go through all the proper channels, quarantine, and shell out the money? From the sounds of it MAF didn't know about these Whites that were on TM, so obviously they were smuggled in.
If we can have Chinchilla's and Macaws, etc, I don't see why we can't have these breeds of frogs . We'll have to see what MAF says, you're probably right though Ebony.

[Ebony]

I know the Zoo's have to have a special permit to keep our own Natives. In the Christchurch Zoo's they keep the introduced frogs only at this stage. Orana park has recently got a permit to try a breeding program for the Maud Island Frog (NZ Native) but i've not seen any other frog species in our zoo's. Im sure if it were possible the Zoo'z would have frogs from over seas. Let me know how you get on though. Gosh I would have to expand my house if we were able to keep them..lol.

[Jess]

LOL...I would have to expand mine too! Like I said, I think you're probably right...but one lives in hope. I don't wanna move to Aussie just so I can get them .

[Ebony]

Yeah..im tempted too :-D . These earthquakes keep up I might..lol