Protected habitat for endangered frog expands in Sierra
By Julie Cart, Los Angeles Times
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday designated 1.6 million acres in California as critical habitat for the endangered red-legged frog, made famous by Mark Twain in his story, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”
The amphibian, once so plentiful that it was commonly featured on restaurant menus, eventually became endangered because of development encroaching on its habitat and the effects of pesticides and other chemicals.
The habitat area is divided into 50 units across 27 California counties, including six counties that previously did not have designated critical habitat and the effects of pesticides and other chemicals.