Scores of southern mountain yellow-legged frogs were released into streams in their natural habitat in the San Gabriel mountains on two separate days in August, zoo officials said.<\/p>\n
![\"Southern](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/n-major-milestone-local-wildlife-140646575.jpg\")
Staff from the Los Angeles Zoo, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released endangered southern mountain yellow-legged frogs into the San Gabriel Mountains. The release of 653 frogs adds to the nearly 7,000 L.A. Zoo-bred frogs released to the wild since the inception of the recovery program. Los Angeles Zoo<\/p>\n
All of the frogs were bred in captivity \u2014 more than half of them raised inside the zoo\u2019s new bio-secure amphibian headstarting facility. <\/p>\n
In total, the zoo has released 7,000 frogs as part of their Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Recovery Program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing our new headstarting facility transition from a concept to a fully operational reality is a monumental milestone for the recovery of the southern mountain yellow-legged frog,\u201d said Byron Wusstig, Curator of Ectotherms at the LA Zoo in a press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cBy raising these sensitive amphibians in a specialized, temperature-controlled environment, we are significantly increasing their chances of survival. Returning 227 robust frogs to the San Gabriel Mountains is a direct result of this expanded capacity and the tireless dedication of our collaborative team.\u201d<\/p>\n The new headstarting facility is equipped with specialized tanks and life support systems that provide optimal water quality.<\/p>\n This environment allows the zoo to observe the species from the moment they are bred and hatch, giving the tadpoles a \u201cheadstart\u201d to grow and reach a robust size before they enter into the wild.<\/p>\n Releasing the frogs at a mature size helps to ensure they are less susceptible to predators and other challenges in the wild, the zoo says. <\/p>\n Southern mountain yellow-legged frogs have been federally listed as endangered since 2002. The medium-sized frogs are notable for their\u00a0mix of brown and yellow coloring that can also appear grey, red, or greenish-brown with dark spots or splotches, giving them a coat that resembles camoflage.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> The frogs are typically found in streams in Southern California mountain ranges, including the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains.\u00a0<\/p>\n Formed in 2018 under the leadership of USGS, the Southern Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Recovery Program is a collaboration between the LA Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, and several other local zoos and wildlife agencies.<\/p>\n Boosting the frog\u2019s population will benefit other species and ensure clean watersheds in Southern California, the USGS said. <\/p>\n Later in this month, approximately 112 tadpoles bred at the LA Zoo will be transferred to the Santa Ana Zoo for ongoing care.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can view the southern mountain yellow-legged frog at the LA Zoo\u2019s Living Amphibian, Invertebrate, and Reptile exhibit.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Wildlife](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/n-major-milestone-local-wildlife-140646599.jpg\")
The frogs were raised in captivity \u2014 many of them at the Los Angeles Zoo \u2014 and then released into the San Gabriel Mountains. Los Angeles Zoo<\/p>\n
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