Why is the mountain yellow-legged frog protected?
These frogs are threatened by predation by introduced trout, disease, pesticides, environmental changes from drought and global warming, and habitat degradation due to livestock grazing.
What did humans do that may have contributed to the decline in the mountain yellow-legged frog population?
Extensive research identifies two main reasons for their decline. First, trout were introduced in high-elevation lakes to draw recreationists and tourists to the area. This created an imbalance in the natural world. Trout eat tadpoles and small frogs and compete with frogs for insects.
Are there any yellow legged frogs in Yosemite?
Scientists published two papers on the effects of chytrid fungus on the mountain yellow-legged frog species complex, which includes the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae), and the Sierra Madre yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa). The Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog can be found in Yosemite.
Are there red legged frogs in Southern California?
The Foothill Yellow-legged frog occurs with Red-legged Frogs along the north coast, and the central coast. Red-legged frogs have disappeared from the Sierra Nevada foothills and most of Southern California, while the Yellow-legged Frog still occurs in some streams in the Sierra Nevada foothills, especially in the north.
Are there any non native amphibians in Yosemite?
Eleven native and one-non-native amphibian species can be found in Yosemite. Three of these species—the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, the Yosemite toad, and the Mount Lyell Salamander—are only found in the Sierra Nevada of California. One species, the foothill yellow-legged frog, has not been documented in the park in many years.
How big is the biggest frog in Yosemite?
The California red-legged frog was made famous by Mark Twain in his story the “Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras Country.” It is 2-5 inches long and is the largest native frog in the western United States. For fifty years however, the California red-legged frog was absent from Yosemite National Park.
How big does a mountain yellow legged frog get?
The mountain yellow-legged frog is a medium-sized amphibian, measuring about 1.5 to 3.25 inches on average. Females tend to be slightly larger than males. Adult frogs a mix of brown and yellow coloring on their upper (dorsal) body, but can also be grey, red, or greenish-brown, usually with dark spots or splotches, called cryptic coloration.
How is the Sierra Nevada yellow legged frog different from other frogs?
The Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog is very similar to the mountain yellow-legged frog in that they look similar and are found in very similar habitats, but are a genetically different species. One physical difference between them is that, on average, the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog has shorter legs.
How did the yellow legged frog get its name?
The belly and underside of the back legs, and sometimes the front legs, are yellow or light-orange. This gives the frog part of its common name—”yellow-legged.”. If disturbed or threatened, mountain yellow-legged frogs produce a distinctive mink-or garlic-like odor to ward off predators and other animals.
What kind of animals eat mountain yellow legged frogs?
Fish compete with and prey upon mountain yellow-legged frogs, tadpoles, and eggs. In the past, these animals experienced natural predation, mostly by garter snakes and sometimes birds.
