New releases a leap forward for endangered frog in southern California
Frog release days always start early, at about 4 a.m., so that staff can get up to the site before the day gets too hot, said Erin Lundy, manager of conservation initiatives at the Aquarium of the Pacific in the U.S. The first challenge is catching the frogs. A newly morphed southern mountain yellow-legged frog […]
New releases mark a significant advancement for the endangered southern mountain yellow-legged frog in southern California. Erin Lundy, manager of conservation initiatives at the Aquarium of the Pacific, explained that the day begins early to beat the heat. The first hurdle is catching the small, fast frogs that can easily slip into crevices. Lundy prefers scooping them with her hands, though nets are also used.
The aquarium has been nurturing these frogs since 2021 as part of a broad, multi-decade conservation effort for the species, which is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Rearing the frogs through metamorphosis in captivity increases their chances of survival. This year's batch hatched as tadpoles from the Los Angeles Zoo in late summer.
Over the winter and spring, the aquarium staff monitored the amphibians as their limbs emerged and tails disappeared. By August, most were ready for their release into the wild. It's important to note that metamorphosis for these frogs can range from one to five years in the wild, but in captivity, it's more consistent. If they haven't fully transformed by the release, they will be kept back and released as larger adults the following summer.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
