California Red-legged Frog
Source USFWS
Scientific Name: Rana aurora draytonii
Family: Ranidae (True Frog)
Size: 1.5 to 5 inches in length
Description: The California red-legged frog has a red-brown to gray-brown colored back with dark blotches. The belly and hind legs are red or pink.
Diet: The California red-legged frog eats insects, crustaceans, snails, worms, fish, tadpoles and smaller frogs.
Habitat: The California red-legged frog lives in wetlands, streams, and drainages in coastal areas, including woodland and chaparral communities. The California red-legged frog has been known to inhabit Milagra Ridge and other GGNRA park areas up to Point Reyes National Seashore, but the remaining populations are found mostly in Monterey, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.
Status: The California red-legged frog has been a Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act since June of 1996. The introduction of the bullfrog in 1896 is one factor that caused a decline in the red-legged frog population, due to competition and predation.
Interesting Information: The California red-legged frog is the largest indigenous frog in the western United States.
References:
California
Wildlife Habitat Relationships System. California Department of
Fish and Game.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Audubon Society. 1998. Field Guide to California. Peter Alden et al. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
