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Presidio Trust / Jonathan Young
Reptiles and amphibians (herps) represent an important part of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Amphibians in particular are good indicators of environmental change due to their sensitivity to a variety of factors such as pollution, introduced species, drought, habitat destruction, and disease. Herp populations may be affected by these factors and exhibit measurable changes in site occupancy, distribution, abundance, and species richness.
Frogs & Toads
These amphibious creatures are probably some of the least seen yet most heard animals in San Francisco Bay Area National Parks. Sodden areas near creeks and marshes are the best place to find most frog species. Unfortunately, similar habitats outside of parks and other protected areas are rapidly giving way to a variety of introduced changes.
Six species of frogs and toads currently call the parks home, including the non-native American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). The region’s most common frog is the Sierran tree frog (Pseudacris sierra), a species that calls in large, loud choruses in the late winter and spring. Foothill yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) were historically abundant in Pinnacles streams, but have not been seen in several decades. A re-establishment plan for this species is currently under consideration.
One of the best-studied frogs in the parks is the federally threatened California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii).
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This frog has been eliminated from 70 percent of its former range, and is federally listed as a threatened species.
Salamanders
Salamanders are amphibians that differ from frogs and toads in that they have a long tail and four roughly equal-sized legs. A total of eight salamander species call the San Francisco Bay Area parks home, with the highest diversity in the coastal parks. Aquatic species near the coast are the Rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa), California newt (Taricha torosa), and California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus). The East Bay parks share three terrestrial species with the coastal parks: Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii), arboreal salamander (Aneides lugubris), and California slender salamander (Batrachoseps pacificus). Pinnacles National Park also shares these species, except that the last is replaced by the locally endemic Gabilan slender salamander (Batrachoseps gavilanensis). Also at Pinnacles is the federally threatened California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) which breeds in seasonal ponds in grasslands.
Unlike most amphibians, several of our salamander species lay their eggs in moist places on land, rather than in water. These terrestrial species are excellent indicators of biodiversity and terrestrial habitat integrity, and the aquatic breeders can alert park managers to potential contaminants in wetland habitats. Look for salamaders in these wet habitats, and also watch for them on the road on rainy nights!
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NPS / Jessica Weinberg McClosky
Snakes
Snakes comprise an important part of ecosystems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The park network contains an extensive array of habitats that support a diverse range of serpent species. Although many species have maintained stable populations, most still face pressures of human development and habitat encroachment. Several species of snakes are commonly found stretched out on the surface of roadways to absorb the heat of the asphalt, and this habit makes them particularly vulnerable to being killed by cars.
The strikingly colorful San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) is threatened by habitat loss as well as collection by reptile fanciers and breeders. It is the most jeopardized of the area’s species, having been listed as federally endangered since 1967. The federally threatened Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus) can be found in the East Bay parks. Although snakes are often feared and reviled by many people, the Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) is the only species in the park network that poses a potential threat to humans. If you are lucky enough to encounter a snake, give it space and take a moment to watch it undisturbed.
Turtles
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The western pond turtle is the only native turtle species in California.
Quick Reads
Browse articles and information summaries about reptiles and amphibians in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Locations: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Acadia National Park, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, more »
- Offices: Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, more »
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
- Locations: Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Hot Springs National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, more »
- Offices: Appalachian Highlands Inventory & Monitoring Network, Arctic Inventory & Monitoring Network, Central Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, Chihuahuan Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network, Cumberland Piedmont Inventory & Monitoring Network, more »
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore
- Offices: Inventory and Monitoring Division
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Protecting Red-legged Frogs in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Habitat loss and invasive species have caused a precipitous decline in the number of threatened California red-legged frogs. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area and their partners have implemented extensive habitat enhancement projects in both San Mateo and Marin Counties. These agencies, along with the U.S Geological Survey, are also monitoring frogs in both areas.
- Pinnacles National Park
Inventory of Riparian Areas at Pinnacles National Park
- Locations: Pinnacles National Park
Although riparian areas do not represent a large proportion of Pinnacles National Park, they are extremely important to the species that live within and around them. An inventory of the species that occur in the riparian areas of Pinnacles was conducted in 2001- 2004. The completed inventory revealed a moderate change to the vertebrate species composition since the last inventory, and included some other interesting findings.
Blog
See below for the latest on reptiles and amphibians from the Bay Area Nature & Science Blog.
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore, Presidio of San Francisco
Thanks to park biologists and partners, visitors can again spot western pond turtles in popular parts of Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Presidio of San Francisco where they had vanished. But the turtles still need help growing their numbers. Cue an unlikely conservation hero: Canis lupus familiaris, the domestic dog! This May and June, specially trained dogs are helping biologists find and protect vulnerable turtle nests in the parks.
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument
In 2017, scientists released a group of western pond turtles—California’s only native freshwater turtle—at Muir Beach Lagoon as part of a broader reintroduction effort. Since then, biologists have been carefully monitoring the cohort and their movements. But recent chance sightings took them by surprise.
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore
- Offices: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network
This summer, the San Francisco Bay Area Network’s coho and steelhead monitoring team started a two-year project to inventory aquatic species in streams across Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area using environmental DNA. Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is genetic material shed by organisms in the water column. By collecting particulate samples from the water, we hope to learn if species of interest are utilizing certain streams.
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Capturing Biodiversity on Camera at Rancho Corral de Tierra
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
It’s tough for a park to conserve wildlife habitat and support sensitive species when no one is quite sure what creatures live there. Nor is it easy to learn what lives where when so many species' superpowers include avoiding human observation. Early on, such challenges weighed on biologists working at Rancho Corral de Tierra, which became part of Golden Gate in 2011. But now, answers are on the horizon. In August 2023, we launched the San Mateo Wildlife Inventory project.
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore
Have you ever seen the elusive California giant salamander? This California endemic amphibian is one of the largest terrestrial salamanders anywhere, reaching 6-12 inches. Beyond their size, they are also identified by their blotchy brown coloring, with white to yellow underside. Although not federally listed, the California giant salamander is considered a special status species in need of conservation. A new inventory aims to help guide future efforts.
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area
2023 California Red-legged Frog Breeding Surveys Yield Mixed Results
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
One way biologists monitor California red-legged frog populations is by counting their egg masses. Red-legged frog egg masses—grapefruit-sized and laid near the water’s surface— are much easier to count than the frogs themselves. During the 2023 breeding season (December 2022-March 2023), we found 348 egg masses across 37 sites in Marin San Mateo Counties.
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Health Checks Show Growth of Reintroduced Western Pond Turtles as Tracking Project Ends
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
As part of a collaborative western pond turtle reintroduction project, Golden Gate biologists have been using radio telemetry to track the movements of released turtles. We also conduct annual health checks of the turtles at the end of each summer through trapping. Trapping for the 2022 season occurred in late-August through early-September. Unlike previous years, this year's health check marks the official end of the radio telemetry monitoring program.
- John Muir National Historic Site
Threatened Alameda Whipsnake More Flexible in Habitat Use Than Previously Thought
- Locations: John Muir National Historic Site
The threatened Alameda whipsnake is generally thought to prefer habitat with chaparral or scrub plant communities. So when park scientists found Alameda whipsnakes in unexpected places at John Muir National Historic site, they realized that the snake may be using a broader range of habitats than previously thought. Their results could have significant implications for habitat management not only at John Muir, but across the snake's range.
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area
New StoryMap Helps Visitors Protect Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
One Tam partners are making a difference for foothill yellow-legged frogs in Marin, and are seeking the community’s help during their especially vulnerable breeding season. A new StoryMap is now available to help visitors protect them while enjoying parks in Marin. Using long-term monitoring data from One Tam partners, the story details why this indicator species is special, what One Tam partners are doing to support them, and how visitors can help.
- Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore
In September 2020, scientists released a total of 41 juvenile turtles in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, almost double the amount released in the past three years combined! This is the first year scientists released western pond turtles to Rodeo Lake, now home to 20 new turtle residents. Biologists also released 14 turtles in the Redwood Creek watershed and seven turtles to ‘donor’ ponds near the Tomales Bay Trail in the park’s northern district.
Last updated: July 9, 2024