Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog: Rare Amphibians Rediscovered
A team of biologists located rare mountain yellow-legged frogs, Rana muscosa, in the San Bernardino National Forest. Two groups of scientists recently spotted the frogs at two separate locations less than three miles apart in the Tahquitz and Willow Creek areas of California.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) biologist Adam Backlin, who led the team along the Tahquitz Creek area, said, ”If this population is large, it could play an important role in the re-establishment of this species across Southern California.” San Diego Natural History Museum biologists were in the Tahquitz Valley area studying biological changes in the region, when they found a single Rana muscosa in Willow Creek.
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Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Description
Mountain yellow-legged frogs are about 1.5 to 3 inches in length and are a mixture of brown and yellow in color. The underside of the hind legs and belly are yellow or orange in color. When handled, the frogs smell like garlic.
Endangered Species
Listed on the federal Endangered Species List and Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it was estimated only 122 adult mountain yellow-legged frogs existed in the wild until the discovery last month. Although the actual number of newly discovered frogs is not yet known, this is good news for the rare amphibian. Once thriving, the decline has been attributed to loss of habitat, climate change, pesticides, introduction of non-native fish and a form of a deadly fungus.
Various agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation, have been involved in the effort to increase the number of frogs with a captive breeding and release program as well as habitat protection and restoration. Since breeding frogs in captivity is a difficult process, the rediscovery of the nearly extinct frog is especially exciting.
Source: Environment News Service
Photo credit Chris Brown under Public Domain
