4 - Red-Legged Frog Returns - Muir Beach AD

WAYSIDE TITLE: Red-Legged Frog Returns-Panel Description

VIEW FROM WAYSIDE: The wayside looks out over a low-lying wetland. Dark green lupin and coyote brush grow in round bunches amongst tall, yellow-green dune grasses. A row of tall willows grows 100 feet away, their bright green, slender leaves shimmer in the wind.

IMAGE LAYOUT: This panel features several color photographs of red-legged frogs in different stages of development superimposed on a background of a lagoon. Still, blue waters surrounded by tall green marsh grass.

DESCRIPTION OF IMAGE: In the top left of the panel is a photo of a fully matured red-legged frog. As its name suggests, the frog's skin is a distinctive rust-red. Its legs are banded with black stripes, and black markings are present the length of its body.

TEXT: Although small in size, California red-legged frogs are important animals that tell us about the health of our environment. As native inhabitants, they live in shrubby creek corridors and densely vegetated floodplains with deep pools. Their life cycles are tied to the yearly rhythms of the California climate. However, just a few years ago, not a single frog lived here. During the past century urban development destroyed their habitat and decimated their population, prompting the federal government to list them as threatened in 1996. Since that time, because of efforts by local environmentalists and public agencies, the frogs are beginning to flourish once again.

The return of the red-legged frog indicates that the water and ecosystem are becoming healthier. To help these and other imperiled species thrive, the Redwood Creek Restoration at Muir Beach created this pond as a place of refuge. As the native plants and natural wetland processes re-establish themselves, the frog population will continue to grow.

DESCRIPTION OF IMAGE: A photograph of a small green and orange frog resting on a dark brown patch of dirt.

TEXT: Muir Beach is also home for the Pacific treefrog. This much smaller frog is more vocal-making a "rrrri-bit" sound at night and when mating during the day.

DESCRIPTION OF IMAGES: At the bottom of the panel are four photos depicting frog development. The first image is of a bunch of blue and black egg sacs floating in water, the second is of a black tadpole, the third is of a juvenile red legged frog, who has developed the reddish hue of an adult, but lacks the black spots and banded legs like the ones on the fully mature specimen in the next photo over.

TEXT: Wet season: When rains cause creeks to flow and puddles to form, California red-legged frogs become more active. At night they move through dense vegetation to mate and lay masses of 2,000-5,000 eggs.

Dry season: As rains taper off and ponds recede, frog tadpoles develop into juveniles. When days are long and dry, the adult frogs move about the floodplain seeking moist plants to help them endure the arid fall.