Tom scoured the internet, emailed universities with existing volunteer programs and was offered a placement with researchers from James Cook University working on rainforest frogs. He travelled to Townsville during the semester break to participate in the project for a week.
Research was conducted at creek sites within Paluma Range and Kirrama National Parks , north of Townsville.Tom worked with PhD student Nicole Kenyon who was investigating peptide secretion in Green-eyed Tree Frogs ( Litoria genimaculata ) and also with research assistant Sara Townsend, who was investigating the prevalence of chytrid fungal disease in rainforest frog species.
" We'd go out in the troup carrier each evening and wander along creek transects in the rainforest, spotting frogs by our head-torches.
It was amazing being in a tropical rainforest at night and apart from frogs, we also saw snakes and lizards, water-spiders, rats, stick insects, prey mantis, and large tropical moths and butterflies.
Those frogs we found were swabbed, or taken back to the troupie for processing before being returned and released. I had a great time, and recommend volunteer research to other students. "
