| California Red-legged Frog (Rana draytonii: CRLF) is a federally threatened species and a California Species of Special Concern. Historically, little has been done with amphibian translocations to unoccupied habitat as a recovery tool for listed species. WRA has implemented phased restoration of four of 12 ponds located at Ridge Top Ranch Conservation Bank, a 744-acre working cattle ranch. In consultation with USFWS, WRA translocated egg-masses to the restored ponds in 2012 and 2013, which coincided with the onset of a four year-long drought. Following a successful first year, the ongoing drought conditions have resulted in increasingly arid site conditions, adding an additional stressor to the population. Since translocation, constant vigilance and monitoring have been required to ensure the CRLF populations persist through years of consecutive drought. Despite the challenges and with forecasts suggesting a wet-year ahead, there is every reason to be optimistic that CRLF will begin to proliferate at Ridge Top Ranch. If translocation can ultimately prove successful in the face of the worst drought conditions in a generation, this method of reintroduction may be proven as a viable tool to help recover the species. |