Four populations of California’s foothill yellow-legged frog would be protected with the help of 760,071 acres of designated critical habitat, under a Fish and Wildlife Service proposal made public Monday. The proposed critical habitat includes forested portions of the wildfire-prone Sierra Nevada as well as the Santa Cruz mountains and coastal areas. Together, the proposed critical habitat is designed to support the endangered South Sierra and South Coast populations and the threatened North Feather and Central Coast populations of the yellow-legged frog. All told, the proposed critical habitat is identified in 27 frog-occupied parcels, with 47 percent of the affected land owned by the federal government, while 49 percent of the total acreage is privately owned. Critical habitat is not a reserve, but activities involving federal funding or other action on the land require consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Related articles:

• Action News Now (Chico, Calif.): U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes 760,000 acres of critical habitat to protect foothill yellow-legged frogs in California
• Center for Biological Diversity: 760,000 acres of critical habitat proposed to protect imperiled frogs in California