Across the state, the harmonious sound of frogs regularly brings our backyards and landscapes to life. Among these voices is the California red-legged frog, a native species that has long made its home in our region’s ponds, creeks, and wetlands.
Once found throughout California and as far south as Baja California, the red-legged frog has had its fair share of fame. It took on the star role in Mark Twain’s first literary success – the short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” – and in 2014 became California’s official state amphibian. Unfortunately, as their habitat has been developed and invasive species have been introduced, the frogs are now considered a threatened species and are facing several uphill battles in their fight for survival.
It’s not slime, it’s mucus!
The California red-legged frog is the largest native frog found in the Western United States, sometimes reaching up to five inches in length. Its name comes from the reddish hue on its underbelly and legs; its head and back are a brown-gray color. Contrary to popular perception, frogs aren’t actually slimy, but the red-legged frog, like many frog species, does secrete mucus to help it breathe and protect its sensitive skin. Its mucus-coated skin requires moist environments, so red-legged frogs must live around streams, ponds, and pools for most of their lifetime. The tall vegetation and shrubs around these ecosystems also provide important protection from predators and the sun.
As opportunistic eaters, these frogs will essentially eat whatever they are able to catch and fit in their mouths. Their diet ranges from insects and invertebrates to smaller vertebrates such as other frogs and even mice.
A declining population needs our help
Today, the California red-legged frog is only found in a fraction of its historical range. Two of the biggest drivers of declining population numbers are loss of habitat and the introduction of invasive species, such as the American Bullfrog. In places like the Central Valley, 90% of the historical habitat of the red-legged frog has been converted, filled, or diked for various agricultural and urbanization purposes. The invasive American Bullfrog then adds to the red-legged frogs’ issues by competing with them for food and habitat and by eating them. As a result of these threats, the species was listed as federally threatened in 1996. Since its listing as a threatened species, the California red-legged frog has been at the center of many conservation efforts, focusing on reestablishing populations in its historical habitats and protecting any remaining land that is key for the frog’s success.
Green Foothills’ efforts to protect California red-legged frogs
Many Green Foothills advocacy issues have included conservation concerns around the California red-legged frog. For example, the Sargent Ranch Quarry, a proposal for an open-pit sand and gravel mine on the sacred Indigenous landscape of Juristac, would threaten breeding habitat for red-legged frogs in Sargent Creek. Green Foothills will continue to push for the protection of wetlands, ponds, and other habitat types that are critical for this species’ survival.