Archived Workshops/References
California Red Legged Frog
Description
The California red-legged frog has been protected as a threatened species by the Endangered Species Act since June 1996. The California red-legged frog is the largest native frog in the western United States. It is one of two subspecies of the red-legged frog found on the Pacific coast; the other is the northern red-legged frog Rana aurora aurora. The California red-legged frog once ranged across much of California, including portions of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, where it is believed to be the title character of Mark Twain's famed short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." In 1865, when the story was written, red-legged frogs were the largest frogs in the state; bullfrogs were not introduced to California until 1896. California red-legged frogs have been eliminated from more than 70 percent of their historic habitat. Surveys indicate the frogs are present in about 10 percent of their historic locations. California red-legged frogs are found primarily in wetlands and streams in coastal drainages of central California. Today they are known to occur in about 238 streams or drainages in 23 counties. Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties support the greatest amount of currently occupied habitat. Only four areas within the entire historic range of the subspecies may currently support more than 350 adults. The above is quoted from the USFWS website.
Training Programs
Documents and Publications
| TITLE DATE ADDED |
AUTHOR SOURCE |
DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| WORKSHOP MATERIALS | ||
| CRLF Survey Appendix D - Site Assessment PDF, 23KB Jan 26 11 |
US Fish and Wildlife 2005 |
|
| CRLF Workshop 2013 - Bibliography PDF, 232KB Apr 30 13 |
Trish Tatarian and Norman Scott April 2013 |
CRLF 2013 Bibliography |
| CRLF Workshop 2013 - Handouts PDF, 328KB Apr 30 13 |
Trish Tatarian and Norman Scott April 2013 |
Supportive handouts for the 2013 workshop |
| PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS | ||
| A Technique for Locating and Recovering Radiotransmitters at Close Range PDF, 16KB Mar 02 07 |
Gary M. Fellers
Patrick Kleeman Herpetological Review, 2003, 34(2), 123 2003 |
|
| Cattle Grazing Mediates Climate Change Impacts in Ephemeral Wetlands PDF, 186KB May 14 13 |
Christopher Pyke and Jaymee Marty Conservation Biology November 16, 2004 |
Data from a grazing exclosure study indicated that 3 years after the removal of grazing, ungrazed vernal pools dried an average of 50 days per year earlier than grazed control pools. Modeling showed that regional climate change could also alter vernal pool hydrology. Increased temperatures and winter precipitation were predicted to increase periods of inundation. |
| Do a threatened native amphibian and its invasive congener differ in response to human alteration of the landscape? PDF, 199KB Apr 01 09 |
Antonia D’Amore, Valentine Hemingway, Kerstin Wasson Biol Invasions February 6, 2009 |
Anthropogenic changes to habitat are a global phenomenon and the impact of these changes may act in tandem to cause loss of biodiversity. One major global change is the introduction of invasive species. In order to determine whether other human impacts might correlate with populations of invaders, we examined the habitat correlates of distribution, persistence and reproduction of a global invader, the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). We then compared these correlates with those of a threatened, native congener, the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii). We found striking differences between the two species in response to habitat fragmentation and degradation. Our work suggests that human alteration of habitat, in particular the hydrology of freshwater sites and through building roads, favors this invasive species across the landscape. |
| Evaluation of a Radio-Belt for Ranid Frogs PDF, 136KB Mar 21 09 |
Galen Rathbun and Thomas Murphey Herpetological Review 27(4), 1996 1996 |
Describes a new method of attaching radios to ranid frogs. |
| Invasive species shifts onto genetic resource partitioning and microhabitat use of a threatened native amphibian PDF, 164KB Apr 05 10 |
Antonia D’Amore, Eric Kirby, Michael McNicholas Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst. 19: 534–541 March 6, 2009 |
3. There was a marked increase in the total number of adult California red-legged frogs seen in all of the ponds after the first year of bullfrog removal, suggesting that these adults were in the ponds, but hiding when invaders were present. Ontogenetic partitioning of habitat in this species was documented, as well as a shift in that partitioning and increased hiding behaviour with adult bullfrog presence. |
| Movement patterns of California Red-legged frogs in an inland California environment PDF, 748KB Jan 29 13 |
Patricia J. Tatarian Herpetological Conservation and Biology March 30, 2008 |
Peer reviewed paper on CRLF movement patterns in inland California. |
| Overwintering Tadpoles in the CaliforniaRed-legged Frog (Rana aurora draytonii) PDF, 24KB Mar 02 07 |
Gary M. Fellers
Alan E. Launer
Galen Rathbun
Steve Bobzien
Jeff Alvarez
David Sterner
Richard B. Seymour
Michael Westphal Herpetological Review, 2001, 32(3), 156-157 2001 |
|
| Rana Draytonii Dispersal PDF, 84KB Jun 14 11 |
Mark Allaback Herpetological Review 2010 |
|
| Rana Draytonii (California Red-legged Frog). Behavior- Dangers of Drift Fences PDF, 62KB Mar 21 09 |
Galen Rathbun, Norman Scott, Thomas Murphey Herpetological Review 28(2), 1997 1997 |
A research note with information about California red-legged frog behavior. This particularly deals with the danger of drift fence barriers to the species. |
| Rana Draytonii (California Red-legged Frog). Egg Predation. PDF, 39KB Mar 21 09 |
Galen Rathbun Herpetological Review 29(3), 1998 1998 |
This is a research note that describes important factors of egg predation to the California red-legged frog. |
| Rana draytonii (California Red-Legged Frog). Predation. PDF, 216KB Jun 04 12 |
Jeff Wilcox Herpetological Review, 2010, v. 42 #3 pp. 414-415 2010 |
Bullfrogs found with red-legged young in their stomachs. |
| Rana Draytonii (California Red-legged Frog). Prey. PDF, 16KB Mar 20 09 |
Marc P. Hayes, Mark R. Jennings, Galen B. Rathbun Herpetological Review 37(4), 2006 2006 |
A note explaining prey of California red-legged frog. |
| Relocations of California red-legged frogs, California, USA. PDF, 1.2MB May 25 11 |
Dana Bland Re-introduction News, Newsletter of the Re-introduction Specialist Group, IUCN, No. 25:12-13. 2006 |
|
| Reproductive Interference by an Invasive Species an Evolutionary Trap? PDF, 130KB Apr 05 10 |
Antonia D’Amore, Eric Kirby, Valentine Hemingway Herpetological Conservation and Biology 4(3):325-330 |
We detected 43 cases of interspecific amplexus over three years between a threatened amphibian, Rana draytonii, and its invasive competitor and predator, Rana catesbeiana. |
| Terrestrial activity and conservation of adult California red-legged frogs Rana aurora draytonii in coastal forests and grasslands PDF, 349KB Mar 20 09 |
John B. Bulger, Norman J. Scott Jr., Richard B. Seymour Biological Conservation 110 (2003) 85–95 2003 |
The federally threatened California red-legged frog Rana aurora draytonii occupies both aquatic and terrestrial habitats in its adult life stage. The terrestrial activities of this species are not well known and require documentation to assist in the development of appropriate levels of protection under the US Endangered Species Act. We studied the terrestrial activities of radio-tagged redlegged frogs (n=8–26) inhabiting a coastal watershed in Santa Cruz County, California, during 1997–1998. In particular, we investigated (1) the use of terrestrial habitats by non-migrating adults in relation to season, breeding chronology, and precipitation, and (2) adult migration behavior, including seasonal timing, duration, distances traveled, and the use of corridors. (more) |
| Translocation of California red-legged frogs (Rana aurora draytonii) PDF, 789KB Mar 21 09 |
Galen Rathbun and Julie Schneider Wildlife Society Bulletin 29(4)1300-1305. 2001 2001 |
Offers information about the risk of moving individual frogs and suggests considerations for doing so. |
| Water Temperatures in a California Red-legged breeding pond PDF, 624KB Apr 12 13 |
Galen Rathbun Immediate Science Ecology 1: 7-11 September 5, 2012 |
This report describes the use of data loggers to gather water temperature profiles, which demonstrates the potential for broader research on the topic. In addition, the preliminary results and discussion will assist resource man-agers to better understand and develop optimal management and restoration activities for the threatened frog. |
| OTHER INFORMATION | ||
| A Standardized Protocol for Surveying Aquatic Amphibians PDF, 410KB Mar 02 07 |
Gary M. Fellers
Kathleen L. Freel National Park Service May 1995 |
|
| Determination of Threatened Status for the California Red-Legged Frog PDF, 154KB Mar 02 07 |
US Fish and Wildlife Service USFWS May 23, 1996 |
|
| Habitat characteristics of California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii): ecological differences between eggs, tadpoles, and adults in a coastal brackish and freshwater system PDF, 2.4MB May 25 11 |
Dawn Kathleen Reis San Jose State University December 1999 |
|
| Light Source and Binoculars for Visual Encounter Surveys of Adult Red-legged Frogs PDF, 96KB Sep 21 12 |
Trish Tatarian
Greg Tatarian
Norman Scott September 2012 |
Paper on selecting lights and binoculars for conducting California Red-legged Frog surveys. |
| Management Guidlines for the California Red-Legged Frog PDF, 188KB Mar 20 09 |
Drs. Galen Rathbun and Norman Scott Elkhorn Slough Coastal Training Program February 2009 |
This technical paper provides a bibliography and management guidelines for the California red-legged frog. Information presented is not peer-reviewed but is the experience of the authors, who have extensive experience with the organism. Please contact us if you have any concerns or suggestions about the information presented. |
| Problems and opportunities managing invasive bullfrogs: is there any hope? PDF, 204KB May 09 12 |
Adams, M. J. and C. A. Pearl Biological invaders in inland waters: Profiles, distribution, and threats. F. Gherardi, editor. Springer Publication Company, New York. 734 pp. 2007 |
"...consider the case of the Bullfrog, review management options, and suggest directions for future research with this and similar species." |
| Revised Guidence on Site Assessments for California Red Legged Frog PDF, 143KB Jan 26 11 |
US Fish and Wildlife US Fish and Wildlife August 2005 |
Links
| TITLE | DATE ADDED |
|---|---|
| USFWS: Revised Guidance on Site Assessments and Field Surveys for the California Red-legged Frog http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/es/documents/crf_survey_guidance_aug2005.pdf |
Apr 01 09 |
| California red-legged frog sounds, pictures, and information http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/r.draytonii.html |
Apr 24 08 |
| Recovery Plan for the California Red-legged Frog (Rana draytonii) http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/020528.pdf |
Apr 16 12 |
| Center for North American Herpetology - California Herp Checklist http://www.cnah.org/state_nameslist.asp?state_id=5 |
Jan 25 13 |
| Solano County CRLF Translocation Project http://www.wra-ca.com/translocation-to-restored-habitat-benefits-threatened-california-red-legged-frog-ridge-top-ranch-conservation-bank-2/ |
May 14 13 |