Yosemite releases its 10,000th California red-legged frog after decade of recovery work
California red-legged frogs are back in Yosemite Valley after disappearing from the park for decades. Partners marked 10 years of coordinated conservation work today with the symbolic release of the program's 10,000th frog. Park staff spent decades removing bullfrogs, and habitat improvements tied to the Merced River Plan restored wetlands, streambanks and river systems the frogs depend on. "After invasive bullfrogs eliminated red-legged frogs from the area decades ago, we removed those threats and created conditions for recovery," said Rob Grasso, aquatic ecologist at Yosemite National Park. "Today, multiple generations of frogs are established in Yosemite Valley."
The California red-legged frog is federally threatened and had been absent from Yosemite for decades. Its return, with multiple generations now established in the valley, shows that removing invasive species and restoring wetland habitat can bring a native amphibian back to a landscape where it had been lost.
Source: CDFW News | California Red-Legged Frog Recovery Reaches 10-Year Milestone in Yosemite (wildlife.ca.gov).
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