More than 350 Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs have been reintroduced into the wild in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains, marking one of the largest releases to date and a significant step in efforts to save this endangered species.
More than 350 Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs have been reintroduced into the wild in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains, marking one of the largest releases to date and a significant step in efforts to save this endangered species. The release also represents a milestone for Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego — the aquarium’s first-ever species reintroduction and a historic moment in its growing conservation work.
Birch Aquarium, in collaboration with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA), UCLA, Big Bear Alpine Zoo and additional partners, released the frogs into a wildlife preserve managed by The Wildlands Conservancy. This effort is part of a long-running recovery program with partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service.
“It was an incredibly exciting and emotional day for our team, as releasing these frogs into the wild marks a historic first for Birch Aquarium,” said Sean Bruce, Assistant Curator of Fishes and Invertebrates. “We have been raising these frogs for more than a year, and to finally reach this milestone is truly remarkable!”
Read More at: University of California San Diego
An endangered Mountain Yellow-legged Frog leaps into its new home after being released into the lake. (Photo Credit: Alex Feltes)
