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Alberta northern leopard frog recovery plan 2010-2015

Description

The northern leopard frog, once locally abundant in the Grassland, Foothills and Parkland natural regions of central and southern Alberta and in the extreme northeastern region of the province, is... More ≫

Description

The northern leopard frog, once locally abundant in the Grassland, Foothills and Parkland natural regions of central and southern Alberta and in the extreme northeastern region of the province, is now listed as Threatened in Alberta. The goal of the recovery plan is to achieve well-distributed and self-sustaining populations of the northern leopard frog throughout their historical range in Alberta. The plan provides background information on the frog, describes the threats facing the species, outlines proposed strategies to address these threats, and presents an action plan that lists priority actions required to maintain and recover the species.

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Habitat suitability index for the northern leopard frog in Alberta : model derivation and validation

Description

Alberta's northern leopard frog recovery plan identifies habitat modelling as an action item. A habitat model could aid in predicting location sites that support previously unknown populations and... More ≫

Description

Alberta's northern leopard frog recovery plan identifies habitat modelling as an action item. A habitat model could aid in predicting location sites that support previously unknown populations and as a tool in the assessment of reintroduction sites. In 2005, a detailed population survey was undertaken to document the distribution and abundance of current northern leopard frog populations in Alberta. That data provided background for a number of management and research initiatives listed in the recovery plan, and was instrumental in the development of the northern leopard frog Habitat Suitability Index (HIS) model, which is reported here. Two data sets were used to test the model and it was found that the model appears to have some predictive power. In hopes of locating new populations, the model will be applied in the 2010 northern leopard frog provincial survey, to target specific areas in sub-drainages that have received little attention in the past.

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Magrath northern leopard frog reintroduction project : final report

Description

Prior to the late 1970s, the northern leopard frog was a common and widely distributed amphibian throughout central and southern Alberta. Unfortunately, the northern leopard frog has vanished from... More ≫

Description

Prior to the late 1970s, the northern leopard frog was a common and widely distributed amphibian throughout central and southern Alberta. Unfortunately, the northern leopard frog has vanished from much of its former range in the province and due to the continued declining populations it was designated as threatened under Alberta's Wildlife Act in 1996. Because the small number of remaining populations of leopard frogs are patchy and separated by large areas of unsuitable habitat, their re-establishment into previously occupied habitat may rely on transplanting individuals or egg masses from existing major breeding populations in southern Alberta. This report looks at the results of a reintroduction project which was initiated in Magrath in spring 2003.

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Alberta northern leopard frog recovery plan 2005-2010

Description

The northern leopard frog, once locally abundant in the Grassland, Foothills and Parkland natural regions of central and southern Alberta and in the extreme northeastern region of the province, is... More ≫

Description

The northern leopard frog, once locally abundant in the Grassland, Foothills and Parkland natural regions of central and southern Alberta and in the extreme northeastern region of the province, is now listed as Threatened in Alberta. The goal of the recovery plan is to achieve well-distributed and self-sustaining populations of the northern leopard frog throughout their historical range in Alberta. The plan provides background information on the frog, describes the threats facing the species, outlines proposed strategies to address these threats, and presents an action plan that lists priority actions required to maintain and recover the species.

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Northern leopard frog reintroduction : year 4 (2002)

Description

Once a common and widespread amphibian found throughout central and southern Alberta, the leopard frog experienced a dramatic decline in distribution and numbers over much of its historic range in... More ≫

Description

Once a common and widespread amphibian found throughout central and southern Alberta, the leopard frog experienced a dramatic decline in distribution and numbers over much of its historic range in the late 1970s and is currently designated as Threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act. It has demonstrated little ability to naturally repopulate historical parts of its range. A pilot reintroduction project was initiated by the Alberta Conservation Association in 1999 near Caroline, Alberta. Frog observations and evidence of breeding activity indicate preliminary success of the project at the initial release site near Caroline and the 2001 pilot release site near Rocky Mountain House.

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Magrath northern leopard frog reintroduction project - year 1 progress report

Description

Prior to the late 1970s, the northern leopard frog was a common and widely distributed amphibian throughout central and southern Alberta. Unfortunately, the northern leopard frog has vanished from... More ≫

Description

Prior to the late 1970s, the northern leopard frog was a common and widely distributed amphibian throughout central and southern Alberta. Unfortunately, the northern leopard frog has vanished from much of its former range in the province and due to the continued declining populations it was designated as threatened under Alberta's Wildlife Act in 1996. Because the small number of remaining populations of leopard frogs are patchy and separated by large areas of unsuitable habitat, their re-establishment into previously occupied habitat may rely on transplanting individuals or egg masses from existing major breeding populations in southern Alberta. This report looks at the results of the first year of a reintroduction project which was initiated in Magrath in spring 2003.

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Alberta inventory for the northern leopard frog (2000/2001)

Description

The northern leopard frog, once common, experienced a dramatic decline in distribution and numbers over much of its historic range in Alberta in the late 1970s. As a result, the leopard frog was... More ≫

Description

The northern leopard frog, once common, experienced a dramatic decline in distribution and numbers over much of its historic range in Alberta in the late 1970s. As a result, the leopard frog was designated as ''Threatened'' under Alberta's Wildlife Act in 1996. Presence data at surveyed sites in 2000-2001 was compared to survey results from a provincial inventory conducted in 1990. Results in 2000-2001 indicate that the northern leopard frog has experienced additional local extirpations over the last decade from four occupied sites that were surveyed in 1990. Findings also suggest that the species has not re-colonized formerly occupied parts of its range since its dramatic decline in the 1970s. In addition, many of the existing leopard frog sites remain fragmented and isolated. This, in conjunction with the low recolonization potential of the leopard frog, may result in further local loss of populations if these sites experience disease, disturbance or catastrophic events such as...

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Northern leopard frog reintroduction : year 3 (2001)

Description

Once a common and widespread amphibian found throughout central and southern Alberta, the leopard frog experienced a dramatic decline in distribution and numbers over much of its historic range in... More ≫

Description

Once a common and widespread amphibian found throughout central and southern Alberta, the leopard frog experienced a dramatic decline in distribution and numbers over much of its historic range in the late 1970s and is currently designated as Threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act. It has demonstrated little ability to naturally repopulate historical parts of its range. A pilot reintroduction project was initiated by the Alberta Conservation Association in 1999 near Caroline, Alberta. During the 2001 field season additional release sites were investigated in the central parkland region of the provinces and in the upper headwaters of the Red Deer River near Caroline and the North Saskatchewan River near Rocky House. Frog observations and evidence of breeding activity indicate preliminary success of the project at the initial release site near Caroline and the 2001 pilot release site near Rocky Mountain House.

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Survey protocol for the northern leopard frog

Description

This document describes a species-based survey protocol for the sampling of the northern leopard frog in Alberta. The protocol may be adapted for inventories of other amphibian species. Three... More ≫

Description

This document describes a species-based survey protocol for the sampling of the northern leopard frog in Alberta. The protocol may be adapted for inventories of other amphibian species. Three sampling techniques for the leopard frog are described in the protocol and include a time-constrained visual encounter survey, a call (vocalization) survey and an egg mass count survey.

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Northern leopard frog reintroduction : Raven River - year 2 (2000)

Description

The northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) is designated as Threatened in the province under the Alberta Wildlife Act and has exhibited population declines and is currently extirpated from much of... More ≫

Description

The northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) is designated as Threatened in the province under the Alberta Wildlife Act and has exhibited population declines and is currently extirpated from much of its former range in Alberta. It has exhibited little ability for natural dispersal back into historic parts of its range. A management decision was made in 1998 to begin a reintroduction project for the leopard frog. The goal is to re-establish the it in historically occupied habitats in the headwaters of the upper Reel Deer and North Saskatchewan River drainage basins, consequently allowing natural downstream dispersal along these watersheds. In 1999 and 2000 a total of approximately 2,500 juvenile leopard frogs have been captive reared and released into the wild near Caroline, Alberta. This report details the results of the second year (2000) of the captive-rearing program of the northern leopard frog reintroduction project.

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