Post by saskatchewanexotic on Mar 19, 2010 19:58:30 GMT -5
Biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and scientists from the San Diego Natural History Museum both rediscovered the rare mountain yellow-legged frog in the San Jacinto Wilderness near Idyllwild, Calif.
This rediscovery — along with the San Diego Zoo's first successful breeding of the frog in captivity, and successful efforts by California Department of Fish and Game to restore frog habitat — renews hope of survival for this Southern California amphibian.
Globally, amphibians are on the decline because of habitat loss, effects of climate change and the spread of a deadly pathogen called the chytrid fungus. The mountain yellow-legged frog is one of three frogs or toads on the federal Endangered Species List in Southern California. Prior to this recent discovery, USGS researchers had estimated there were about 122 adult mountain yellow-legged frogs in the wild.
www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-news/2009/08/07/mountain-yellow-legged-frog.aspx