What is the California red-legged frog?
The California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) is the largest native frog in the western United States. It is one of two subspecies of the red-legged frog found on the Pacific coast, typically live in still fresh water such as ponds, lakes, and marshes, or in slow flowing sections of creeks and streams. The California red-legged frog once ranged across much of California, including mining country, where it is believed to be the title character of Mark Twain’s famed short story, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” When the story was written, red-legged frogs were the largest frogs in the state; bullfrogs were not introduced to California until 1896. California red-legged frogs have been eliminated from more than 70 percent of their historic habitat. Surveys indicate the frogs are present in about 10 percent of their historic locations. California red-legged frogs are found primarily in wetlands and streams in coastal drainages of central California. The California
