LA Zoo releases endangered frogs back to their San Gabriel Mountains habitat

There are about 170 more southern mountain yellow-legged frogs in the San Gabriel Mountains now, thanks to an endangered species breeding program the Los Angeles Zoo is involved in. 

In efforts to save the frogs from extinction, Los Angeles Zoo staff with the U.S. Geological Survey released the group back into their native habitat on Aug. 29 and 30 as part of the zoo's recovery program.

A majority of the tadpoles were hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo and cared for by the Aquarium of the Pacific and Santa Ana Zoo. Some of the just-released frogs came from a group rescued from the 2020 Bobcat Fire, they were cared for by the Aquarium of the Pacific.

"This release is momentous for the L.A. Zoo as it marks another key milestone for our southern mountain yellow-legged frog breeding program," said Ian Recchio, Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, Los Angeles Zoo. "We are proud to be part of this long-running recovery effort with the USGS and partners."

Since 2007, when the breeding colony was established at the L.A. Zoo, nearly 6,000 zoo-bred offspring have been released into the San Gabriel Mountains and surrounding habitats.

To help with breeding efforts, the L.A. Zoo designed a bio-secure amphibian breeding room to create a quiet, temperature-controlled environment for the tadpoles.

The southern mountain yellow-legged frogs live in perennial streams in select areas of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto Mountains. They are a medium-sized amphibian, measuring about 1.5 to 3.25 inches on average. Adult frogs are a mix of brown and yellow coloring but can also be grey, red, or greenish-brown, usually with dark spots or splotches

The Los Angeles Zoo continues its captive breeding program of the southern mountain yellow-legged frog at the L.A. Zoo's seasonal habitat inside its Living Amphibian, Invertebrate, and Reptile exhibit.