Species assessment for Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) in Wyoming

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Four populations of Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) are currently recognized, including three disjunct, southern populations and a main population extending from northwest Wyoming through western Canada. The main (or northern) population includes Wyoming. The species has no federal status as endangered or threatened and is generally considered to be secure, although some local declines have been documented. Most occupied habitat for the frog occurs on lands managed by the U. S. Forest Service (Regions 2 and 4) and the National Park Service (Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks ). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) may have potential habitat in the Green River Basin and higher-elevation parcels near forest boundaries, but the extent is largely unknown because most potentially suitable BLM land has not been surveyed for spotted frogs. Historical data are too scarce to determine whether declines have occurred in many areas where spotted frogs currently occur in Wyoming. Some populations in the state appear to be vulnerable. Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation are major threats to spotted frogs on multiple-use lands in Wyoming. Livestock grazing, water manipulation, road construction, and the introduction of sport fish are identified as the activities most likely to affect habitat. Spotted frog populations may also be directly affected, in terms of survival and reproduction, by elevated mortality rates from a variety of human and management activities (e.g., roadkill,trampling), predation by fish, and exposure to toxic chemicals. Drought is also a threat to frogs and their habitat, and its effects may be exacerbated by management activities and land uses. Two infectious diseases, chytridiomycosis and ranavirus, have been found in spotted frogs in northwest Wyoming and could threaten the persistence of local populations and the abundance of frogs. The main conservation concerns involve determining the distribution, abundance, and status of populations on BLM lands. Identifying breeding, overwintering, and migration areas for local populations is necessary to determine if they are at risk from land uses and management activities. In general, management practices need to be evaluated for their site-specific impacts to ensure that viable populations are maintained on BLM lands.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology