National Parks Help Protect Amphibians, but There’s More Work to Do

National parks serve as refuges for many amphibians, but populations have still declined. The authors propose ways to help them.

By the editors of Park Science magazine

About this article

This article was originally published in the "Research Roundup" section of Park Science magazine, Volume 39, Number 1, Winter 2024-25 (January 15, 2025).

Tiger salamander in Swan Lake Flat, Yellowstone National Park.

Image credit: NPS / Neal Herbert

Amphibians like frogs, toads, and salamanders aren’t big topics of most people’s conversations. But many amphibians eat agricultural insect pests and disease-causing insects like mosquitoes. And their sensitivity makes them good bellwethers of ecosystem health. Some of them biofluoresce (absorb light and re-emit it as a different color), which may be a way for them to communicate but is nothing if not cool. People benefit if amphibians thrive, yet amphibians aren’t doing well. Over forty percent of amphibian species are globally imperiled.

Protected areas like national parks help conserve amphibians. In 2023, researchers discovered that at least 230 (65%) of the 354 amphibian species known to be in the U.S. could be found in the nation’s national parks. Now, a new study published in the November 2024 issue of npj Biodiversity has assessed the status of amphibians across the National Park System.

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The study found that although national parks serve as effective refuges for many amphibians, some populations have declined as a result of non-native, invasive predators like bullfrogs. Diseases, hotter temperatures, and less rainfall are also threatening them. The authors propose ways to improve their protection.

LaFrance and others. 2024. Amphibian Richness, Rarity, Threats, and Conservation Prospects across the U.S. National Park System. npj Biodiversity 3: 35.