Drayton's Frog
VU

Drayton's Frog

Rana draytonii

Unknown

Photo: iNaturalist: (c) J. Maughn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by J. Maughn

Overview

The California red-legged frog is a species of frog found in California (USA) and northern Baja California (Mexico). It was formerly considered a subspecies of the northern red-legged frog. The frog is an IUCN near-threatened species as of 2021, has a NatureServe conservation status of Imperiled as of 2015, and is a federally listed threatened species of the United States that is protected by law.

Drayton's Frog faces significant population declines across its range due to habitat loss from urban development and agricultural conversion of wetland areas. The species is particularly vulnerable to introduced predators like bullfrogs and non-native fish, along with disease outbreaks including chytrid fungus that have devastated amphibian populations throughout California.

Threat summary

Habitat

Inhabits permanent and semi-permanent freshwater ponds, marshes, slow-moving streams, and adjacent riparian vegetation in coastal and inland valleys of California. Requires aquatic breeding sites with emergent vegetation and nearby terrestrial upland areas for foraging and overwintering.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Drayton's Frog classified as Vulnerable?
Drayton's Frog is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. Drayton's Frog faces significant population declines across its range due to habitat loss from urban development and agricultural conversion of wetland areas. The species is particularly vulnerable to introduced predators like bullfrogs and non-native fish, along with disease outbreaks including chytrid fungus that have devastated amphibian populations throughout California.
Where does Drayton's Frog live?
Drayton's Frog occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Drayton's Frog?
The main threats to Drayton's Frog are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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