A HISTORICALLY LOCAL BREEDING GROUND FOR THE CALIFORNIA RE-LEGGED FROG MAY BE IN JEOPARDY. NEW FINDINGS SHOW THE WATSONVILLE SLOUGH AND PAJARO RIVER VALLEY ARE NO LONGER STRONG BREEDING GROUNDS FOR THE FROGS BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND WATER CHANGES OCCURRING OVER THE PAST 30-YEARS. THE FROGS ARE REPORTEDLY BREEDING LESS IN WATSONVILLE AND INSTEAD ARE HOPPING OVER TO MONTEREY COUNTY TO BREED DURING THE WINTER. ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIALS ATTRIBUTE THE CHANGE TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE SLOUGH, PREDATORY BULLFROGS AND NON-NATIVE FISH.
THE CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG WAS LISTED AS A THREATENED SPECIES UNDER THE FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IN 1996….AND IT STILL IS.
