Housemates in Esperance, Western Australia, received an unexpected surprise when they opened a sealed bag of lettuce purchased from a discount supermarket. Alongside the leafy greens, they discovered a live frog, roughly the size of a man's palm, prompting a series of witty remarks and a brief stint on national television.
Unexpected Discovery
Laura Jones and Billie Le Pine, residents of Esperance, bought two lettuces in a sealed plastic bag, reduced for quick sale to $1.15. Upon opening the packet, they found not only the greens but also a live frog. "It was the most random thing," Jones said during an interview on ABC News Breakfast. She added with a laugh, "Look, if I was in a French supermarket, I probably would have got a two for one deal on that one."
The town of Esperance, named after a French frigate and twinned with St Martin de Ré, added a touch of irony to the situation. However, Woolworths, the supermarket chain, described it as an "isolated incident" and stated they were investigating "as a priority." A company spokesperson explained, "Our suppliers have rigorous processes to maintain product quality. For heads of lettuce, this involves washing and a number of quality checks, including checking for foreign materials, before they are packaged and sent to our stores."
The Frog's Name and Release
Jones and Le Pine were not the ones who initially opened the packet. Their flatmates discovered the frog while preparing a meal. "All credit to our flatmates," Jones said. "It's their lettuce and they came home and he's just in the kitchen cookin' up and then he's like: 'bro, there's a frog in my lettuce.' He's one of the most relaxed Australians you'll ever find."
The housemates named the frog Greg and gave him a ceremonial release into a nearby dam. "We thought we'd give him a wee send off tune," Le Pine said. "And we played him Crazy Frog. So he was pretty happy again."
Expert Opinion
Dr. Jodi Rowley, a frog expert from the Australian Museum, was unable to definitively identify the species from the television footage. However, she stated, "But it's a bell frog for sure. If it came from WA, then it's a relatively common species called the motorbike frog. If it is from the east coast, then it is either the green and golden bell frog or the southern bell frog, and both of those species are threatened. So I guess the origin of that lettuce is the big question."
Rowley noted that it is not uncommon for frogs to accidentally hitchhike in produce. "Certainly, it is a thing that frogs accidentally hitchhike. They go to sleep on a pile of bananas or a lettuce, and they end up getting packaged." She advised that anyone who finds a frog in their shopping should place it in a container and contact an expert for identification, as the amphibian may not survive far from its natural habitat and could spread diseases among frog populations.
While Jones, Le Pine, and their flatmates missed out on a potential free pet, Woolworths offered a replacement item and an apology. The spokesperson confirmed, "We have spoken to the customer to apologise and provide a replacement item."
