Adult southern mountain yellow-legged frogs thrive in a tank at L.A. Zoo bio-secure amphibian headstarting facility. (photo © Los Angeles Zoo)

Staff from the Los Angeles Zoo, Aquarium of the Pacific and the U.S. Geological Survey recently released 653 endangered southern mountain yellow-legged frogs into the San Gabriel Mountains.

The frogs were bred at the L.A. Zoo, with 227 raised inside the zoo’s new bio-secure amphibian headstarting facility. On Aug. 19, 338 frogs were released to streams in their native habitat, and an additional 315 frogs were released on Aug. 27. The successful effort adds to the nearly 7,000 L.A. Zoo-bred frogs released to the wild since the inception of the Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Recovery Program.

“Seeing our new headstarting facility transition from a concept to a fully operational reality is a monumental milestone for the recovery of the southern mountain yellow-legged frog,” said Byron Wusstig, curator of ectotherms for the L.A. Zoo. “By raising these sensitive amphibians in a specialized, temperature-controlled environment, we are significantly increasing their chances of survival. Returning 227 robust frogs to the San Gabriel Mountains is a direct result of this expanded capacity and the tireless dedication of our collaborative team.”

Built into a renovated space at the zoo’s Children’s Discovery Center, the new facility is outfitted with specialized tanks and life support systems that provide optimal water quality. The dedicated environment empowers the zoo’s animal care team to oversee the species from the exact moment they are bred and hatch, giving the tadpoles a crucial “headstart” to morph and reach a robust size before they enter the wild. By allowing the tadpoles to mature on-site, the frogs can be released at a larger and more developed life stage to ensure they are less susceptible to predation and other natural challenges of survival in the wild.

The conservation momentum continues this fall. Later in September, approximately 112 tadpoles bred at the L.A. Zoo will transfer to the Santa Ana Zoo for ongoing care. The Southern Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Recovery Program is a collaboration, formed under the leadership of USGS between the L.A. Zoo, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The partnership has grown to include the Aquarium of the Pacific, Santa Ana Zoo, Big Bear Alpine Zoo and the Birch Aquarium, with more partners joining in the near future.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the southern mountain yellow-legged frog as endangered. The species lives in perennial streams in select areas of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains.

The public can view the uniquely camouflaged southern mountain yellow-legged frog at the L.A. Zoo’s Living Amphibian, Invertebrate and Reptile exhibit, or LAIR. The L.A. Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive. For information, visit lazoo.org.