Red-legged Frog
6/5/06
 This tadpole will hopefully turn into a Red-Legged frog in a few months. That’s exciting for us because this is the first time we’ve seen one in the Elkhorn Highlands – and because the Red-Legged frog is on the Federal threatened species list.
An endangered species is one currently facing the danger of extinction. A threatened species is one that is likely to face that danger in the foreseeable future. Endangered or threatened designation makes it illegal to "take" a species, a term which includes harassment or making significant modification to its habitat. It also means that not just anyone can pick up it up like this. Researcher Valentine Hemingway (who is holding the tadpole) has a permit to work with endangered species.
Valentine and Wes Savage found this one in an old farm reservoir on a property we acquired at the end of 2004. ESF members who have taken the walk to this overlook have seen this pond.
 The California Red-Legged frog is the largest native frog in the Western U.S. It was once found over most of the western part of California but have disappeared from 75% of their historical range. Other endangered or threatened species in the Elkhorn Slough watershed include: Western Snowy Plover, Brown Pelican, California Sea Otter, Monterey Spineflower, and Santa Cruz Tarplant. |
