Have
you
seen
this
frog
in
Alberta?
For
people
in
most
parts
of
the
province,
the
answer
is
probably
“no”,
or
at
least,
“not
lately”.
The
northern
leopard
frog
was
once
a
common
amphibian
in
southern
and
central
Alberta,
and
through
many
areas
of
western
Canada
until
the
late
1970s.
Then,
some
unknown
event(s)
led
to
a
rapid
range
contraction
and
local
population
declines.
The
species
has
now
disappeared
from
the
parklands
of
central
Alberta,
as
well
as
from
scattered
locations
that
were
once
occupied
in
the
foothills
and
boreal
forest.
Leopard
frogs
are
still
common
in
some
areas
of
southern
Alberta,
south
of
a
line
extending
from
Drumheller
to
Oyen.
But
even
here
populations
are
generally
quite
sparse
and
limited
to
specific
sites
associated
with
suitable
over-wintering
habitat.
Leopard
frogs
differ
from
most
amphibians
in
Alberta
in
that
they
hibernate
underwater
during
the
winter.
They
are
linked
more
closely
to
permanent
waterbodies
and
waterbodies
that
do
not
freeze
to
the
bottom
and
that
maintain
suitable
oxygen
concentrations
below
the
ice
during
the
winter.
Northern
leopard
frogs
still
occur
in
far
northeastern
Alberta,
on
the
Canadian
Shield,
north
of
Lake
Athabasca.
A
major
provincial
survey
conducted
in
2005
found
frogs
at
approximately
75
sites.
This
is
well
below
the
almost
400
sites
that
have
been
documented
since
about
1900.
Northern
leopard
frogs
are
usually
bright
green
in
colour,
but
can
also
be
dark
brown
or
golden.
The
species
shares
its
Alberta
range
with
several
other
types
of
frogs
and
toads,
but
leopard
frogs
have
several
unique
and
distinguishing
characteristics.
All
colour
phases
have
smooth
skin
with
large
black
spots
that
are
surrounded
by
a
light
halo.
Also
unique
is
the
presence
of
cream-colored
ridges
that
run
from
behind
their
eyes
to
the
lower
back,
and
a
call
that
sounds
like
a
creaking
door
or
a
finger
rubbing
on
a
balloon.
These
frogs
can
be
found
in
a
variety
of
habitats
but
require
shallow
and
warm
ponds
for
breeding,
deeper,
well-oxygenated
water
bodies
for
wintering,
and
grassy
uplands
for
feeding
and
dispersing.
Leopard
frogs
are
often
associated
with
springs
in
the
drier
areas
of
southern
Alberta.
The
recent
population
declines
and
range
contraction
have
led
Alberta
Sustainable
Resource
Development
to
list
the
northern
leopard
frog
as
a
“threatened”
species
in
the
province.
Populations
are
listed
as
being
of
“special
concern”
in
prairie
Canada
by
the
Committee
on
the
Status
of
Endangered
Wildlife
in
Canada,
and
the
species
is
on
the
“Red
List”
in
British
Columbia.
Leopard
frogs
have
disappeared
from
many
areas
of
the
western
United
States,
and
where
they
still
occur,
populations
are
at
very
low
levels.
Fortunately,
healthy
populations
occur
in
most
areas
of
central
and
eastern
North
America.
The
reason
for
the
disappearance
of
the
northern
leopard
frog
is
a
mystery.
Habitat
loss,
disease,
fish
stocking,
increases
in.
ultraviolet
radiation,
pesticide
exposure,
drought
and
other
factors
have
all
been
fingered
as
culprits
in
the
decline.
However,
no
single
cause
or
combination
of
causes
has
been
singled
out
as
being
responsible.
Whatever
the
reasons
for
the
decline,
the
effect
was
swift,
dramatic,
and
widespread.
However,
it
seems
that
the
worst
is
over.
In
fact,
populations
in
Saskatchewan
and
Manitoba
appear
to
have
recovered
somewhat
in
recent
years.
Alberta
populations
do
not
appear
to
have
rebounded,
and
surveys
conducted
in
2000
and
2005
show
that
some
populations
on
the
edges
of
the
species’
range
are
experiencing
continuing
declines,
and
are
at
risk
of
disappearing
altogether.
Because
the
northern
leopard
frog
is
a
“threatened”
species
in
Alberta,
efforts
are
now
underway
to
make
sure
that
healthy
populations
are
restored
in
the
province.
In
2004
the
Minister
of
Sustainable
Resource
Development
established
a
provincial
recovery
team
led
by
the
Alberta
Fish
and
Wildlife
Division,
with
representation
from
Alberta
Agriculture,
Food
and
Rural
Development,
Alberta
Beef
Producers,
Alberta
Conservation
Association,
Alberta
Environment
,
Alberta
Public
Lands
and
Forests
Division,
the
Calgary
Zoo,
Ducks
Unlimited
Canada,
and
the
Special
Areas
Board.
The
recovery
team
prepared
an
action-oriented
recovery
plan
that
was
approved
by
the
Minister
in
December
2005.
The
overall
goal
of
the
recovery
program
is
to
“achieve
well-distributed,
selfsustaining
populations
of
northern
leopard
frogs
throughout
their
historical
range
in
Alberta”.
What
can
be
done
to
manage
and
conserve
leopard
frog
populations
in
Alberta?
First,
people
must
be
made
aware
of
the
leopard
frog
and
its
plight.
This
will
ultimately
assist
managers
with
locating
previously
unknown
frog
populations,
and
will
pave
the
way
for
acceptance
of
local
management
activities
when
they
occur.
During
extensive
surveys
conducted
in
2000
and
2005,
field
staff
visited
over
250
landowners
and
lessees
that
had
frog
populations
or
suitable
leopard
frog
habitat
on
their
land.
These
visits
have
done
much
to
inform
these
key
stakeholders
about
frogs.
The
recovery
team
is
also
producing
new
literature
and
other
extension
materials
about
northern
leopard
frogs
that
will
inform
a
broad
audience
about
the
species
and
their
management
in
Alberta.
The
recovery
team
has
also
initiated
a
poster
campaign
in
selected
regions
of
the
province
to
solicit
new
observations
of
leopard
frogs.
Watch
for
these
“wanted
posters”
located
in
campgrounds,
parks,
and
other
sites
in
your
area!
This
campaign
has
already
produced
several
new
frog
locations
in
its
first
year
of
implementation
in
2005.
Second,
sites
that
have
frogs
must
be
protected
to
prevent
the
further
loss
of
populations.
Because
many
frogs
occur
on
private
land,
it
is
important
to
the
recovery
team
to
work
with
rural
landowners
and
lessees
to
make
sure
that
they
manage
their
land
in
a
“frog-friendly”
manner.
In
some
cases,
the
recovery
team
and
partner
agencies
will
work
with
landowners
to
cooperatively
manage
sites
through
the
use
of
cattle
fencing
and
provision
of
alternate
water
sources.
It
is
also
important
that
industrial
developers
be
made
aware
of
the
presence
of
frogs
in
areas
where
activities
such
as
oil
wells,
pipelines
and
roads
are
planned.
Development
of
infrastructure
can
have
detrimental
effects
on
frogs,
particularly
if
water
quality
it
affected.
Finally,
frogs
will
be
reintroduced
into
areas
where
they
are
now
absent.
There
have
been
several
attempts
to
do
this
in
the
past,
with
variable
success.
What
seems
like
a
simple
procedure
is
actually
fraught
with
a
long
list
of
unresolved
issues
and
challenges.
What
is
suitable
frog
habitat?
Where
should
frogs
be
taken
from,
and
how
many
are
needed
for
successful
reintroduction?
What
effect
will
removing
frogs
have
on
the
local
population?
Are
there
disease
or
genetic
issues
to
consider?
These
questions
will
be
answered
over
the
next
few
years
through
a
combination
of
fieldwork,
directed
studies,
and
expert
opinion.
For
example,
fieldwork
starting
in
2006
will
focus
on
quantifying
the
habitat
characteristics
of
currently-occupied
sites,
and
will
try
to
identify
sites
with
similar
habitat
characteristics
that
are
not
occupied
by
frogs
(i.e.,
potential
reintroduction
sites).
This
work
is
being
complemented
by
analysis
using
geographical
information
systems
(GIS)
that
will
help
narrow
the
search
for
new
sites
on
the
ground.
There
is
also
research
underway
that
will
document
the
genetic
makeup
of
frogs
in
different
parts
of
the
province.
This
knowledge
will
ensure
that
new
sites
that
receive
frogs
have
the
best
chance
of
producing
self-sustaining
populations
and
will
persist
for
many
years.
Many
of
the
questions
surrounding
reintroduction
will
take
years
to
answer.
Even
though
we
hope
to
have
some
of
the
answers
before
we
start,
sometimes
the
best
solutions
come
from
experience.
Therefore,
it
is
the
intent
of
the
management
team
to
begin
reintroductions
on
a
relatively
small
scale
in
2007
and
continue
over
a
three-year
period.
These
reintroductions
will
involve
relatively
short-distance
movements
of
frogs
from
source
to
reintroduction
sites
(<30
km).
This
protocol
will
minimize
the
effects
of
genetic
differences
among
frog
populations
and
also
lessen
the
possibility
that
reintroductions
will
spread
disease
to
new
sites.
These
preliminary
reintroductions
will
hopefully
lead
to
larger-
scale
reintroductions
in
the
following
years.
In
the
meantime,
managers
will
be
searching
for
new
frog
populations
and
continue
to
monitor
known
sites
to
ensure
that
they
remain
healthy.
We
will
also
continue
to
identify
source
sites
where
frogs
can
be
removed
with
low
risk
to
the
local
population,
and
to
learn
more
about
why
certain
populations
are
thriving
while
others
have
disappeared.
Many
species
at
risk
face
uncertain
futures
because
their
management
and
recovery
is
at
odds
with
human
development,
or
because
their
numbers
have
reached
perilously
low
levels
and
the
tools
available
for
recovery
are
limited.
The
prognosis
for
leopard
frog
recovery,
although
uncertain,
is
more
optimistic.
Frogs
are
a
familiar
and
interesting
group
of
wildlife
to
the
humans,
and
the
potential
for
public
involvement
in
recovery
activities
is
high.
Leopard
frogs
need
clean
water
and
healthy
riparian
habitats,
which
are
also
desirable
to
rural
landowners,
if
not
all
Albertans.
Managers
also
have
a
suite
of
tools
available
to
them
to
assist
with
the
recovery
process.
Have
you
seen
this
frog?
If
you
have
not
seen
it
recently,
hopefully
you
will
in
the
near
future.
If
you
have
seen
one,
please
report
the
sighting
to
your
local
Fish
and
Wildlife
office,
or
e-mail
the
details
to
leopard.
frog@gov.ab.ca.
Your
efforts
will
help
ensure
the
persistence
of
this
important
and
interesting
amphibian
in
Alberta.
David
R.
C.
Prescott
is
an
Endangered
Species
Specialist
with
the
Alberta
Fish
and
Wildlife
Division,
Southeast
Region,
in
Red
Deer
