The Chiricahua leopard frog has been given Federal protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today. The listing includes a special rule that encourages livestock owners in the Southwest to continue regular management of livestock water tanks that harbor frog populations.
The frog, native to the Southwest, is imperiled by nonnative predators, particularly fish, bullfrogs, and crayfish; loss of habitat, and potential natural events such as floods and drought. The species apparently has disappeared from entire mountain ranges, valleys and river drainages within its historic range. A species is designated as threatened when it is at risk of becoming an endangered species throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
"The Chiricahua leopard frog is a unique part of the Southwest
