Native ranid frogs in California

Abstract

Many recent declines and extinctions of native amphibians have occurred in certain parts of the world (Wake 1991; Wake and Morowitz 1991). All species of native true frogs have declined in the western United States over the past decade (Hayes and Jennings 1986). Most of these native amphibian declines can be directly attributed to habitat loss or modification, which is often exacerbated by natural events such as droughts or floods (Wake 1991). A growing body of research, however, indicates that certain native frogs are particularly susceptible to population declines and extinctions in habitats that are relatively unmodified by humans (e.g., wilderness areas and national parks in California; Bradford 1991; Fellers and Drost 1993; Kagarise Sherman and Morton 1993). To understand these declines, we must document the current distribution of these species over their entire historical range to learn where they have disappeared. In 1988 the California Department of Fish and Game commissioned the California Academy of Sciences to conduct a 6-year study on the status of the state's amphibians and reptiles not currently protected by the Endangered Species Act. The study's purpose was to determine amphibians and reptiles most vulnerable to extinction and provide suggestions for future research, management, and protection by state, federal, and local agencies (Jennings and Hayes 1993). This article describes the distribution and status of all native true frogs in California as determined by the California Fish and Game study.