EATONVILLE - — Northwest Trek Wildlife Park said nearly 400 northern leopard frogs raised in its care are now back in the wild.
Northern leopard frogs have been endangered in Washington since 1999.
According to Northwest Trek, habitat loss and degradation, diseases, non-native species, and climate change are likely to blame.
In a news release, Northwest Trek explained that it partners with other agencies, such as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to raise frogs from egg masses to try and establish a new population.
It’s something they have been doing for four years now.
WDFW biologists collect the egg masses from the one remaining wild population at the Potholes Reservoir and deliver them to Northwest Trek.
Keepers then raise the frogs in a controlled environment, monitoring their condition and protecting them from predators.
“It’s exciting for everyone involved, but especially for the keepers who personally cared for these frogs, to see them return to their natural habitat,” said Conservation Manager Marc Heinzman in a news release.
“Being part of this crucial effort to save an endangered species in Washington is incredibly rewarding.”
According to WDFW officials, northern leopard frogs are an essential indicator of water quality due to their permeable skin. Improving and conserving wetland habitat will help frogs and other species, ranging from amphibians to waterfowl and deer.
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