During 2016, the Southeast Region Inventory and Monitoring Branch conducted a pilot vocal anuran monitoring project at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge. Amphibians have been recognized as important indicators for environmental health. However, many refuges in the South Atlantic ecoregion lack baseline data on species occurrence and relative abundance for amphibians. The methodology and data analysis used was in accordance with the National Park Service Southeast Coast Network Inventory and Monitoring Branch’s protocol for monitoring vocal anuran communities. Ten Wildlife Acoustic SM2+ automatic recording devices (ARDs) were deployed from March 29 – June 14. Eight species were detected with the ARDs. The southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocphalus), squirrel treefrog (Hyla squirella), green treefrog (Hyla cinerea), bullfrog (Lithobates catesbieanus), and toads (Bufo spp.) had the highest frequency of occurrences and relative abundances. The eastern narrow-mouthed toad (Gastrophyrne carolinesnsis), spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) and Copes’ gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) had the lowest frequency of occurrence rate and relative abundance. This monitoring provides a new tool for refuges to collect baseline data on vocal anurans on a refuge.
