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I. Administrative ActionsA. Federal Actions1. Endangered Species Act Petitions a. Relict leopard frog (Rana onca). In early May 2002, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance petitioned to list the relict leopard frog as endangered. The frog was placed on the candidate list and a final listing determination is due in May 2003. Once found in springs, seeps, and wetlands throughout the Virgin, Muddy, and Colorado River drainages, the frog has been extirpated from all but a handful of location near Lake Mead and within the Virgin R. drainage near the Nevada/Utah border. 2. Endangered Species Act Listings & Findings a. Mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa). On July 2, 2002, the USFWS listed the Southern California Distinct Population Segment (DPS) as endangered. [Note: for the Sierra Nevada DPS a listing determination of "warranted but precluded" will be published in the Federal Register imminently, the result being that this DPS will end up on the candidate list.] b. California tiger salamander (Abystoma californiense). On July 22, 2002, the USFWS published an emergency rule to list the Sonoma County DPS of the California tiger salamander as endangered in response to a petition filed by CBD. The emergency rule provides federal protection to this DPS for a period of 240 days. USFWS also published a proposed rule on July 22, 2002, to list the Sonoma County DPS of the California tiger salamander as endangered under normal listing procedures. USFWS also is reviewing the status of four other DPSs for listing determinations due in May 2003. c. Yosemite toad (Bufo canorus). On December 10, 2002, the USFWS published a decision to delay ESA protection for the Yosemite. PRC and CBD had petitioned to list the toad in March of 2000. The USFWS invoked a loophole in the ESA, declaring that the toad warrants listing as an endangered species, but that it will not issue a listing proposal because it is making "expeditious progress" on "higher priority" listings. Instead, the species was placed on the "warranted-but-precluded" list. 3. Habitat Conservation Plans a. Tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) and southern torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton variegates). In August or 2002, the Simpson Timber Co., USFWS, and NMFS published a draft HCP that will cover management of Simpson's industrial timber lands in the North Coast region of California for the next 50 years; the HCP includes explicit management recommendations that purportedly will not contribute to further declines and a need for formal ESA protections of the frog and salamander. PRC submitted extensive comments on the plan. B. State Actions1. California Endangered Species Act Petitions a. California tiger salamander (A. californiense). CBD plans on resubmitting the California state Endangered Species Act petition for the Sonoma County DPS. 2. Fish Stocking a. Mountain yellow legged frog (Rana muscosa) and Cascades frog (Rana cascadae). In the summer of 2002, CDFG scaled back its high elevation aerial fish stocking program within the range of these two frog species. II. Legal ActionsA. Critical Habitat Challenges1. California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii). In 2001, PRC, CBD, Jumping Frog Institute, and Center for Sierra Nevada Conservation secured critical habitat designation of 4.1 million acres of land for the California red-legged frog. In November of 2002 the USFWS struck a deal with development interests in California to remove the habitat designation on all but 200,000acres while the Service undertakes another analysis. The agreement states that the Service "shall promulgate a proposed Revised Rule by March 2004 and a Final Revised Rule by November 2005." 2. Arroyo toad (Bufo californicus). An industry lawsuit also successfully knocked out critical habitat designation for the arroyo toad in 2002. B. Pesticide Registration and Use1. California red-legged frog (R. draytonii). In April 2002, CBD filed suit in federal court against the EPA for failing to consult on the effects its pesticide registration program on the frog in violation of the federal ESA. 2. California red-legged frog (R. draytonii), foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii), mountain yellow-legged frog (R. muscosa), and Yosemite toad (B. canorus). On December 3, 2002, Californians for Alternatives to Toxics filed suit in state court against the California Department of Pesticide Regulation alleging that the agency failed to reevaluate the registration of pesticides that migrate from the Central Valley to the Sierra Nevada and impact the four amphibian species. II. Other ActionsA. Status Reviews1. Foothill yellow-legged frog (R. boylii), Cascades frog (Rana cascadae), Western spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii), and Couch's spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus couchii). PRC, CBD, JFI, and others are conducting status reviews of these four species. For
further questions contact: For information about PRC's Amphibian Protection Initiative visit our website at http://www.pacrivers.org/conservation/index.cfm?topicID=104#API
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