Wildlife biologists have made an exciting discovery within the burn scars of a Northern California wildfire. Despite the devastation caused by the Mosquito Fire, a small population of California red-legged frogs was found in the area. This finding provides hope for wildlife recovery in the aftermath of the largest wildfire in California in 2022.
The Mosquito Fire raged through 76,778 acres of wildland in the Sierra foothills, engulfing parts of Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests in Placer and El Dorado counties. The fire, which started on September 6, 2022, destroyed 78 structures and forced over 11,000 residents to evacuate within the first two weeks.
“The Mosquito Fire devastated one of the most robust populations of the red-legged frog in the Sierra Nevada. However, the fact that these frogs have survived shows the resiliency of wildlife,” said Rick Kuyper, Supervisor of the Sierra Cascades Division at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.
In late July, wildlife biologists visited the burned area and observed the presence of Rana draytonii, the native species of red-legged frog. This sighting brings hope for the ecological recovery of the burn-scarred areas.
Positive Signs for Wildlife in a Burn-Scarred Landscape
Before the Mosquito Fire, the Big Gun Conservation Bank in Michigan Bluff was home to one of the largest populations of red-legged frogs in the Sierra Nevada, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Collaborative efforts between the federal government and Tahoe National Forest officials aimed to conserve the threatened frog species and expand their habitat onto nearby national forest lands. As part of these efforts, 19 ponds were constructed within a one-mile radius of the conservation bank in 2021 and 2022 to encourage the growth of the frog population.
Red-legged frogs can reach a length of up to 5½ inches and are known for their red undersides, large forelimbs, and distinctive skin folds. After the Mosquito Fire was extinguished 46 days after it started, wildlife biologists and conservationists had to wait several months before assessing the impact on the area. They found that the high-intensity fire had killed most of the surrounding vegetation and affected the stability of the soil, causing the water in the ponds to become cloudy.
Despite the damage, some of the constructed ponds remained intact, and a red-legged frog was spotted in one of them during the initial assessments. These ponds serve as important habitats for the survival and breeding of the red-legged frog.
Threats to the Red-Legged Frog Species
In the Tahoe National Forest, the remaining constructed ponds proved to be crucial for the survival of the red-legged frog. These ponds will be monitored by a group of biologists during the breeding season, which takes place from November to April. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reported that the biologists will return to the area in the spring with hopes of witnessing breeding activity in these ponds.
The red-legged frog is the largest native frog species in the western United States and is predominantly found in California. In the past, the species faced threats from over-harvesting for food. Today, their main threat is the overuse of water resources, which affects their habitats and breeding grounds. The expansion of farmlands and residential areas also encroaches on valuable wetland habitats.
To preserve threatened species like the California red-legged frog, the National Wildlife Federation is partnering with Save the Frogs, a nonprofit conservation group.
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Survival of this frog in California wildfire scar lends ‘some hope’ for threatened species (2023, August 14)
retrieved 14 August 2023
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