The government of Alberta, Canada, announced that reintroduction efforts to help northern leopard frog populations bounce back have been a success.
The frog species was once incredibly common in Alberta, but since 2004, it has been labeled as a threatened species. Officials first noted the population decline of this species in the 1970s and 1980s, leading to it becoming a significant focus of conservation campaigns.
According to CBC, reintroduction efforts were undertaken, with most of the efforts centered on releasing eggs in new locations to create new northern leopard frog populations and the translocation of current frog populations.
These reintroduction efforts were successful in a number of places, including Beauvais Lake Provincial Park, Battle River, Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park, Kinbrook Island Provincial Park, and Grainger, with biologists confirming that self-sustaining populations of the northern leopard frog were present in these locations.
Species-at-risk wildlife biologist Brett Boukall explained, per CBC: "Translocating eggs proved to be quite successful in being able to establish new populations of northern leopard frogs at different reaches within their former range."
These reintroduction efforts have gone on for several years, with 163,880 tadpoles translocated between 2007 and 2010 and 2013 and 2014. Due to the increased northern leopard frog populations, Alberta won't need to continue reintroduction efforts at this time.
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As CBC reported, Boukall also shared that "the growing sustainability we're seeing in northern leopard frogs and their distribution might allow us to start saying, well, our population is recovering."
The increasing population of the northern leopard frog is good news for Alberta, as this species plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of wetland ecosystems and the food chain. These frogs serve as both prey and predators in wetlands, as they consume insects and small invertebrates while also acting as prey for snakes and birds.
A balanced ecosystem will help protect food security in local communities. Additionally, because these frogs consume insects, people and food crops will be better protected from damage these insects might have caused, making the increased populations good news indeed.
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