phoenix Zoo TRAIL CARDS
Chiricahua Leopard Frog Rana chiricahuensis
Range:
Montane central Arizona east and south along the Mogollon Rim to montane parts of western New Mexico; Southeastern montane section of AZ adjacent to Sonora; extreme southwestern corner of NM; Mexico through Sierra Madre and Chihuahua.
Habitat: Streams, ponds, lakes, rivers, cattle tanks and other aquatic habitats from about 3,300 to 8,900 feet in elevation in Arizona
Size:
Adults typically range from 5.3–13.7 cm (2.1–5.4 in) in length.
Diet (wild):
Adults feed on a wide range of invertebrates. Tadpoles feed on algae and other minute organisms.
Life span:
14 years (average)
Conservation status:
Listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in 2002
Threats:
Chytridiomycosis (a fungal disease); non-native predators (bullfrogs, crayfish, exotic fish), habitat loss, degradation and alteration; fragmentation caused by aquatic habitat drainage; river channeling, damming and grazing; climate change/long-term drought.
Appearance:
Adults and some juveniles have a distinctive salt-and-pepper pattern on the rear of the thigh. They have stocky body proportions and relatively rough skin on the back and sides. Coloring is usually an olive to dark green, with charcoal spots. The face is usually green, and the groin and abdomen are yellow.
Social/Family units: Solitary
Behavior:
Nest in thickets of trees and shrubs approximately 4–7 m (13–23 ft) tall with a high percentage of canopy cover and dense foliage from 0–4 m (0–13 ft) off the ground. Breeding typically occurs from March through October in Arizona; the populations at higher elevations breed June–August. Tadpoles take 3–9 months to metamorphose and may over-winter in this phase. Adults take shelter in water when disturbed.
Communication:
This species has a relatively long “snore” of one to two seconds in duration.
Activity: Nocturnal
At the Phoenix Zoo:
In the wild, approximately 5% or less of the eggs in a Chiricahua leopard frog egg mass may survive to metamorphosis. Head-starting at the Zoo provides protection through this vulnerable life stage. In managed care, as much as 90% of an egg mass may survive to be released as froglets or late-stage tadpoles. By releasing a large number of animals back into suitable sites in the wild, chances are greatly increased that more will survive to adulthood and reproduce, as well as preserving valuable genes.
We began head-starting leopard frogs at the Zoo in 1995 and have released over 26,000 Zoo-reared tadpoles, froglets, and adults. Once an egg mass from a target location is found in the field, wildlife agency partners notify Zoo staff and we prepare for its arrival. Whole or partial egg masses are transported to the Zoo where they are set up in a tank to hatch. The tadpoles are then raised by Zoo staff until they become large tadpoles or small metamorphs, at which time they are released back into the wild. This work is all done in close collaboration with biologists at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, US Forest Service and other partners.
We also house adult Chiricahua leopard frogs in outdoor naturalistic settings for breeding. When our partners are ready to receive an egg mass for release to the wild, we pair male and female frogs and monitor their habitats for eggs. Since 1995 we have provided 40 egg masses for release to the wild. Occasionally, we may also retain an egg mass for rearing to the larval or juvenile stage.
Did you know?
Chiricahua leopard frog-occupied sites in Arizona have increased from 38 in 2007, when the species’ recovery plan was published, to a high of 155 in the last five years, as a result of ex situ and in situ conservation efforts.