News Release

Hundreds of California red-legged frog tadpoles raised at Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach released in the Santa Monica Mountains

Date: July 15, 2025

Media contacts: Ana Beatriz Cholo, National Park Service, [e-mail], Marilyn Padilla, Aquarium of the Pacific, [e-mail] 

Biologists “rescued” the threatened species, after extreme weather and wildfire disrupted native breeding grounds, as part of an emergency effort after the LA wildfires.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Almost 600 California red-legged frog tadpoles, hatched and raised by Aquarium of the Pacific biologists, are now swimming free in streams located in the Santa Monica Mountains, marking a hopeful milestone for a species once thought to be extinct in the area. 
 
The tadpoles were rescued in March 2025 as part of an emergency response to extreme late-winter storms that disrupted fragile red-legged frog egg masses laid in streams and ponds throughout the mountains.  
 
National Park Service (NPS) biologists collected the vulnerable eggs and transported them to the non-profit Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, where staff hatched and nurtured them into healthy tadpoles over the spring. 
 
This collaboration between the aquarium and NPS is the latest effort in a decade-long mission to reestablish self-sustaining populations of California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), a federally threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and a state Species of Special Concern. 
 
“We are so proud to be able to support the National Park Service in their work to help local populations of California red-legged frogs. Our partners dedicate so much time and expertise to supporting these local species, and it’s incredibly meaningful to be able to play a role in the important work that they do,” said Erin Lundy, Aquarium of the Pacific manager of conservation initiatives.  
 
This summer, NPS biologists will monitor the release sites to track the development of the tadpoles into froglets and evaluate the success of the intervention. 
 
“This project has had its share of ups and downs over the years,” said Katy Delaney, ecologist with Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. “But with committed partners like the aquarium, we’re writing another hopeful chapter in the comeback story of the California red-legged frog.” 
 
Once common throughout California, the last known red-legged frogs in the Santa Monica Mountains were documented in the 1970s. Reintroduction efforts began in 2014, and biologists are now cautiously optimistic that these young froglets could help tip the scales toward recovery.  

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Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park Service, it comprises a seamless network of local, state, and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities. For more information, visit nps.gov/samo.
 
The non-profit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place dedicated to connecting people to and conserving nature. Home to more than 12,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include Stars of the Sea featuring Our Living Coastline, the Southern California Gallery, Pacific Visions, and Shark Lagoon. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages, including First Wednesdays featuring a variety of guest speakers. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for twelve months and other special benefits. To make a donation to help support the Aquarium, please visit the donation webpage. To visit, reservations are required for everyone and can be made at aquariumofpacific.org or by calling [phone].