Although it is pretty clear we love spring-run Chinook salmon an awful lot, there is another endangered creature we are quite fond of as well. The Foothill Yellow-legged Frog is a fairly regular visitor to the creek banks of Butte, however they are not easy to see. As you can see from this photo, they blend in with the rocks, moss, sand, and gravel real well. There are a number of threats to the FYLF. Of course, out of season turbidity/pollution events like the flume failure are very concerning. Eggs are laid and hatch in the edges and backwaters of the creek in the spring time and fluctuating water levels can have an impact. One unlikely predator of FYLF is the invasive bullfrog. Bullfrogs are generally confined to off channel ponds but they have been spreading up the canyon and threaten not just FYLF but also Western Pond turtles. Baby turtles emerge from eggs buried uphill from the creek and backwaters where pond turtles hang out. As they migrate back to water, bullfrogs will eat the baby turtles. We highly encourage anyone who knows where there are bullfrogs to explore methods of eliminating them. The FYLF and Western Pond Turtles will thank you!
Pacific Gas and Electric has been monitoring the frogs for sometime, but more intensely since the flume failure back in August 2023. Here is their most recent report. Click here.