A Leap Towards Recovery: Nearly 500 Dusky Gopher Frogs Released on Restored Private Lands in Mississippi

Jul 29, 2026

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In June 2026, conservation partners gathered in Hancock County, Mississippi, to mark a recovery milestone for one of our nation’s rarest amphibians, the federally endangered dusky gopher frog. Nearly 500 dusky gopher frogs were released into ponds on Woodland Cottage, the private property of Mr. Jim Currie and Mrs. Laura Currie. The event highlighted the vital role that conservation-minded private landowners play in recovering federally listed species and restoring native ecosystems.

A large group of people pose for a photo outside in front of a large tree. — Landowners Jim and Laura Currie, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, and a team of conservation partners at the dusky gopher frog release.

One of Our Nation’s Rarest Amphibians

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The dusky gopher frog is endemic to the fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystem. Historically the species ranged from Louisiana, through Mississippi, and into Alabama. Over time, due to fire suppression and land-use changes, habitat degradation and fragmentation occurred, causing near range-wide extirpation.

Between 1988 and 2004, only one known population of dusky gopher frogs remained, restricted to a single pond in the De Soto National Forest in southern Mississippi. Although recovery efforts through habitat restoration and species reintroduction have improved the species’ outlook, ongoing habitat loss and degradation, combined with unfavorable environmental conditions, continue to keep survival rates low in most years and threaten the species’ long-term existence.

Habitat Restoration at Woodland Cottage: Decades in the Making

Long before the dusky gopher frog reintroduction became possible, Mr. and Mrs. Currie began working with conservation partners to establish and enhance wildlife habitat on their property at Woodland Cottage. More than 20 years ago, they teamed up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Wildlife Mississippi, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Natural Resources Conservation Service to improve habitat for the gopher tortoise, another federally listed species found on their property and a keystone species of the fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystem.

Gopher tortoises dig long burrows used by more than 300 other species, including the dusky gopher frog. By replanting previously grazed and clear-cut areas with longleaf pine, restoring a colorful understory of native grasses and forbs, and managing pine stands with prescribed fire, Mr. and Mrs. Currie helped rebuild a functioning longleaf pine ecosystem. These actions benefit not only tortoises and frogs but also migratory birds of conservation concern, pollinators, and game species such as wild turkey and bobwhite quail.

A man gestures to the left while standing beside a table covered with a blue tablecloth, set in front of longleaf pine trees and a grassy understory. At his feet, two signs lean against the table, both reading “Partners for Fish and Wildlife” at the top and “Wildlife Habitat Provided By The Landowner With Assistance From the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service” beneath. — Mr. Currie speaks to the group in front of longleaf pine habitat on his property that was restored through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and is now actively managed with prescribed fire.

A Leap for Dusky Gopher Frog Recovery

The release of nearly 500 dusky gopher frogs into ponds on Woodland Cottage marks the only population of the species in Hancock County, and the only release on private working lands. This event was an opportunity to celebrate a major milestone in the recovery of this rare species of the longleaf pine ecosystem, the incredible work that can only be achieved through partnerships, and the importance of private landowners in species recovery.

This reintroduction effort was made possible through a strong partnership among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program; Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; the Memphis Zoo; Wildlife Mississippi; and, most importantly, passionate and conservation-minded private landowners.