Endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs released in California mountains

San Diego: American conservationists are celebrating the release of 3,000 endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs and tadpoles into their native mountain habitats.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance bred the amphibians at its Beckman Center for Conservation Research and reintroduced them into the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains, including Bluff Lake in the Big Bear area.

Once historically abundant, the species has declined by more than 98% due to disease, introduced predators, wildfire and drought.

The release is part of a 20-year conservation breeding program that began as a rescue effort in 2006 in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The program focuses on breeding, genetic diversity, disease management and reproductive research.

To date, the Alliance has reintroduced over 10,000 mountain yellow-legged frogs and tadpoles into high-elevation habitats, with teams continuing to monitor their health and survival in the wild.