Translocation power point for wra website
- 1. Translocation of California Red-legged Frog (Rana draytonii) to Restored Critical Habitat, Solano County. Rob Schell, WRA, Inc. Schell@wra-ca.com, (415) 454-8868
- 2. California Red-legged Frog (CRLF) Federally listed as Threatened in 1996 CDFW Species of Special Concern (SSC) Final Critical Habitat designated in 2010 Recovery Plan Published in 2002 Consistent with Recovery Plan actions and tasks
- 3. Conservation Banking The goal of conservation banking is to protect, manage and enhance/create habitat for ESA listed species. The program Incentivizes conservation and management of large tracts private lands to benefit listed species. Once a bank is developed, the bank owner can sell endangered species habitat “credits” to mitigate for other project impacts. To ensure bank success, the owner must establish a non- wasting endowment for perpetual management of the preserve which funds scientific based monitoring.
- 4. Ridge Top Ranch Conservation Bank • 745 acres located in southwestern Solano County • 12 existing stock ponds • Surrounded by privately owned Rangeland or preserved lands • Within Designated Critical Habitat for CRLF
- 5. Historic Anuran Translocations • California Red-legged Frog • GGNRA/USGS • Pinnacles National Monument • Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) • Relict Leopard Frog (Rana onca) • Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
- 6. Pre-translocation Due Diligence at the Conservation Bank Site Visual surveys for CRLF in Q1-2 2010 Surveys were negative Follow-up seining for CRLF in Q2 2010 Surveys were negative Toxicology sampling and analysis in Q3 2010 Analytics were negative for contaminants Analysis of chytrid fungus at donor location and at Ridge Top Ranch Chytrid is present at both sites
- 7. Pond D Ridge Top Ranch Conservation Bank Pond E Pond B • Ponds N and D were fenced and planted in Q4 2010 • Bullrush • Spikerush Pond N • Arroyo willow • Ponds B and E were fenced and seeded in Q4 2012 • Bullrush • Spikerush
- 8. Pilot Pond Restoration: Before and After Pond N Pond D Oct. 2010 Before March 2012 After
- 9. 2012 Donor Site Surveys Donor larvae
- 10. 2012: Year 1 Translocation Transported eggs in temperature- controlled coolers Collected eggmass along with attachment material. Placed in large plastic bags similar to taking home a fish Eggs placed in hatch-out cages to from a pet store. “head-start” larvae and protect against invertebrate predators.
- 11. CRLF Embryotic/Larval Development 22 days old: Larvae began to hatch 41 days old 9 days old: Confirmed embryo ~2CM TL viability and development
- 12. CRLF Larval/Juvenile Development - Continued 108 days old • First metamorph observed at 138 days old ~11cm TL • Population monitoring began 237 days old: Q3 2012 – will ~5cm SUL continue until 2016 • All individuals captured over 40mm SUL, were PIT tagged to track dispersal, colonization, and demographics
- 13. 2012 Preliminary Results Number of Metamorph California Red-legged Frogs YOY Visually Detected 104 YOY PIT Tagged 76 Males Tagged 30 Females Tagged 16 Unknown Sex Tagged 30
- 14. 2012 YOY R. draytonii Preliminary Demographic 80.0 Data 75.0 70.0 65.0 Male n=30 SUL (mm) 60.0 55.0 Female n=16 50.0 Unknown 45.0 55 mm is the threshold sex n=30 size at which CRLF can 40.0 be reliably sexed. 35.0 30.0 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 Weight (grams)
- 15. Thank You! • Land Bank • Dave Kelly (USFWS) • Dr. Brad Shaffer (UCLA) • WRA Staff • Geoff Smick • Tricia Valcarcel • Dan Chase Rob Schell, WRA, Inc. Schell@wra-ca.com (415) 454-8868 x 149