The camera has been taken out of the creek for the winter and has been placed on the bank above it.

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Southern mountain yellow-legged frog

Rana muscosa

 

California Herps
Sound File

 

Frogs in the News

 

The mountain yellow-legged frog is one of three Southern California frog or toad species on the Federal Endangered Species List. Biologists from the USGS will be responsible for the initial phase of the reintroduction, and will be releasing egg masses into deep permanent pools, followed by the additional release of tadpoles later in the year. They will then closely monitor the health and success of the reintroduction. It will take two years for the tadpoles to morph into adults and as they are not a migratory species the frogs will stay in the creek within the bounds of the protected reserve where they can be easily monitored. “This is an amazing first step in the recovery program for this wonderful frog, and we are looking forward to having the frogs here for a long time to come” said Becca Fenwick, Director of the James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve. They selected the James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve for this reintroduction because it is a protected area with ideal habitats in the species’ former range.

For more information please contact Adam Backlin, Ecologist for the USGS; (714) 508 4702, abacklin@usgs.gov,
or Dani Dodge Medlin, San Diego Zoo’s Public Relations Representative; (619) 685 3291.
Jane Hendron Division Chief, Public Affairs; (760) 431 9440.