Experts stunned after endangered frogs survive harsh winter for the first time: 'This is a difficult reminder'

Efforts to recover the population of the northern leopard frog at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge are bearing fruit, according to NonStop Local. 

The northern leopard frog has survived winter after reintroduction by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife last summer. This is quite the feat, as it required controlling invasive bullfrog populations that prey on the leopard frog. 

The larger size of bullfrogs has earned them invasive species status in western North America, despite being native to the east. Utah has equally had problems with bullfrogs. Besides predation, they simply outcompete and take up more space than local frogs. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife also notes that the bullfrog can be a vector for novel viruses that can spread to native species. 

This is fundamentally the challenge with invasive species across the board. They're introduced to new areas thanks to human transportation. Without the usual ecological checks and balances that the species evolved with, they can often spread uncontrolled in their new home.

This forces local plants and animals to deal with fewer resources, which can lead to an eventual decline in biodiversity. Combined with the challenges of habitat loss and shifts in climate, wildlife faces trouble on multiple fronts. 

Despite the recent success, the northern leopard frog still has a way to go in Washington. It needs to survive through the breeding season. 

"Seeing how essential bullfrog control is to northern leopard frog recovery, WDFW and US Fish and Wildlife Service are working to find ways to continue bullfrog control efforts at this site," said the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on Facebook.

"This is a difficult reminder of just how much of an impact invasive species can have on endangered species recovery and highlights the importance of diligently managing those invasive species over the long-term," the department continued. 

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