Mountain Yellow Legged Frog

Last week the 6th graders learned about the Mountain Yellow Legged Frog, an endangered species from Southern California, as part of their climate change and conservation unit. There are believed to be only 200 of these frogs left in the wild. The students learned about the threats to their habitat, including the human impacts of invasive species and disease and how a certain fungus is a threat to amphibian survival world wide. After learning about about the frog’s spatial ecology, students knew what was needed for them to survive. The sixth graders then took on the role of scientists and researched areas in the southern California mountain ranges that would be a good fit for them to be released. Students then learned how researchers come back and find the frogs to understand the survival rates of those previously released. 

Using telemetry equipment borrowed from the San Diego Zoo, the students experienced what it is like to conduct scientific wildlife research out in the field. Students used the telemetry devices to track hidden stuffed animal frogs on the Saklan campus. This hands-on experience allowed the students to understand how researchers track released endangered species, in this case their frogs, and to monitor the health of the frogs over time.