A deeply concerning environmental discovery has been made in the heart of Cairns, with multiple frogs found sporting grotesque tumours, prompting fears of a localised pollution incident. The alarming find was made by a local resident in the freshwater wetlands at the northern end of the CBD, a known habitat for the common green tree frog.
Resident's Shocking Find Triggers Investigation
The unsettling situation came to light when Whitfield resident, Lillian Young, spotted the first afflicted amphibian on Anzac Oval. "I thought it was a piece of rubbish at first," Ms Young recounted. Upon closer inspection, she realised it was a frog with a massive, fleshy growth protruding from its side. Her subsequent searches in the nearby council-owned wetlands revealed a distressing pattern: at least five more green tree frogs were found with similar severe tumours.
Disturbed by her findings, Ms Young immediately contacted local wildlife authorities and the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC). She described the tumours as "pink, fleshy, and bulbous," some nearly as large as the frogs themselves, severely impacting their mobility and likely their ability to feed and survive.
Experts Weigh In on a Potential Crisis
The discovery has mobilised the local environmental community. CAFNEC's manager, Lucy Graham, expressed serious concern, stating the tumours are "not something we see commonly at all." She emphasised that while frog populations globally face threats from the chytrid fungus, these disfiguring growths point to a different, potentially localised cause.
Leading amphibian disease expert, Dr. Jodi Rowley from the Australian Museum and UNSW, confirmed the images were "very concerning." She explained that such tumours in wild frogs can be caused by a viral infection, like the Ranavirus, or by parasitic flatworms known as Ribeiroia. However, a third, more alarming possibility is exposure to environmental contaminants or pesticides, which can cause cancerous mutations.
"The fact that it's in a specific location and you've got multiple frogs with tumours does suggest that there might be something in the environment that's causing it," Dr. Rowley cautioned. This theory suggests a contained pollution event in the Cairns CBD wetlands is a prime suspect.
Urgent Calls for Testing and Action
The immediate priority for experts is to conduct proper testing on the affected frogs to determine the exact cause. Dr. Rowley stressed the need for a deceased specimen to be sent to a laboratory for histopathology. The frogs also act as critical environmental bioindicators. Their permeable skin makes them highly vulnerable to pollutants, meaning their health directly reflects the health of the ecosystem.
This cluster of tumours could be an early warning sign of a broader environmental issue in the popular city wetlands. The Cairns Regional Council has been notified and is likely to be involved in any further investigation. The local community is being urged to report any further sightings of diseased wildlife but warned not to handle the animals directly.
This disturbing discovery in inner-city Cairns has raised significant red flags about local habitat health. The coming days will be crucial as authorities and scientists work to uncover the root cause of these shocking deformities and assess what threat, if any, it poses to the wider wetland environment and its diverse inhabitants.
