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Froggie Went A-Courtin: Feds Sued By Environmental Group Over Endangered SoCal Frog
Photo by USFWS Pacific Southwest Region via Flickr
April is National Frog Month, so it was as good of a time as any to sue the feds over failing efforts to protect an endangered SoCal frog from extinction.
An environmental group, the Center for Biological Diversity, reportedly filed a a 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on "allegations that the agency failed to develop a recovery plan for the endangered Southern California mountain yellow-legged frog," reported the Riverside Press-Enterprise notes the Associated Press.
For nine years the mountain yellow-legged frog has been on the federal endangered species list with only 200 adult frogs remaining in the San Bernardino, San Jacinto and San Gabriel mountains, notes the Press-Enterprise where they once thrived.
Scientists with the San Diego Zoo and U.S. Geological Survey have worked aggressively in the past few years to breed the frogs in a laboratory and return them to the wild in hopes of increasing the population. Lack of a recovery plan -- a road map of steps required under the Endangered Species Act to save a plant or animal from extinction -- has made the work more difficult, said Adam Backlin, a USGS ecologist working on the frog breeding project.
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The suit also addresses the endangered California tiger salamander. A Fish and Wildlife spokesperson declined to comment because of pending litigation.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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