Caravan warning after innocent photo sparks biosecurity threat: ‘Dumbfounded’

Port Arthur: So, there’s been a bit of a kerfuffle down in Tasmania. Caravanners are being told to check their vehicles for any sneaky stowaways before heading across state lines. Apparently, an invasive frog was found, and it’s causing quite the stir.

This all kicked off when a tourist snapped a pic of what they thought was a harmless native frog at a lavender farm. But, surprise! Someone spotted it online and realized it was actually a Peron’s tree frog, which isn’t supposed to be there. They quickly alerted the authorities, and now everyone’s on high alert.

Clare Dean, who runs the lavender farm, mentioned that these frogs might hitch a ride on vehicles or even in fruit boxes. It’s a real concern since they could mess with the local ecosystem if they settle in. Biosecurity Tasmania is asking folks to keep their vehicles clean to avoid any unwanted pests.

Last week, a Biosecurity officer named Debbie went to check things out. Clare thought there was no way they’d find the frog after two weeks, but her daughter, Estelle, ended up spotting it! They were all shocked when Debbie managed to catch it. It’s a wild story, and now everyone’s just trying to keep an eye out for these little invaders.