Foothill Yellow-legged Frog – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Overview

Species Common Name Foothill Yellow-legged Frog
Species Scientific Name Rana boylii
Federal Listing Status Species of Concern
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Klamath Mountains

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Umpqua Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, and interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range. The Rogue watershed has the largest population of any coastal watershed in Oregon (Jackson County, Josephine County, and a portion of Curry County). Several popular and scenic rivers run …

West Cascades

The West Cascades ecoregion extends from east of the Cascade Mountains summit to the foothills of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valleys, and spans the entire length of the state of Oregon. It is largely dominated by conifer forests, moving into alpine parklands and dwarf shrubs at higher elevations.

Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.

Special needs

Foothill yellow-legged frogs utilize streams with coarse-substrate gravel bars, bedrock substrate with potholes, and low-flow backwaters. Unimpounded or large, functional stream systems may be needed to maintain long-term persistence of this species on the landscape.

Limiting factors

This species' range in Oregon has decreased due to habitat loss from hydrologic modifications for hydropower. Gravel bars and low-flow nursery areas have been lost in many areas. Foothill yellow-legged frogs may also be impacted by sedimentation and waterborne pathogens.

Data gaps

Assess distribution. Increase knowledge of life history and population ecology, including phenology, longevity, habitat use, and movements. Identify overwintering (non-breeding) habitat. Explore the feasibility of reintroduction at historically occupied sites.

Conservation actions

Protect and maintain natural water flow patterns and streamside vegetation at priority breeding sites. Use results of feasibility studies to guide specific conservation actions and management decisions for reintroductions, particularly in the West Cascades and Willamette Valley ecoregions. Maintain connectivity across hydrologic corridors and river basins to support gene flow.

Key reference or plan

Conservation Assessment for the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Rana boylii) in Oregon