Carolina Gopher Frog Release

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xxxHERPERxxx
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Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by xxxHERPERxxx »

Late in March, I joined two State Biologists to look for the egg masses of the Carolina Gopher Frog, an increasingly uncommon species of frog in North Carolina. In the few ponds that sustain them they are few and far between.The habitat was this beautiful Long-leaf Pine/Wire grass ecosystem....

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And here is one of the typical empheral ponds that Gopher frogs inhabit...

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This particular pond was one of the few that we searched for egg masses, as seen here...

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After all that searching we finally came across an eggmass with tiny tadpoles resting on it.

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We were sure they were gopher frogs, but to be sure we collected a few, and I raised one.
Here it is while in the Tadpole stage...


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And here it is the day we released it, which was a few days ago.

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A very rewarding experience to watch a beautiful frog transform from a tadpole.
There is believed to be 7 populations of Carolina Gopher Frog left in North Carolina.


Later...

~Brandon
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Steve Atkins
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by Steve Atkins »

nice, what a cool frog, did you guys find any adults during the initial search?
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wayne_fidler
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by wayne_fidler »

sweet post I'm glad I was able to photo one.
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Carl Koch
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by Carl Koch »

Fantastic! I love gopher and crawfish frogs...such cool animals. Awesome shot of the egg mass with the tads still hangin' out on it! What a special thing to be a part of...thanks for sharing!
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Dan Krull
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by Dan Krull »

Good story, but be prepared... the criticism should start at any moment. :)

DAN
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FunkyRes
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by FunkyRes »

Herp Ninja wrote:Good story, but be prepared... the criticism should start at any moment. :)

DAN
Hopefully not, this sounds like an official state sanctioned survey he got to participate in.
The Rookie
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by The Rookie »

Is this another species being wiped out by the chytrid fungus?
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justinm
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by justinm »

What's contributing to their rarity or decline? I'm sure it was tough letting it go, but it feels even better once you're able to.
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xxxHERPERxxx
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by xxxHERPERxxx »

It's mainly habitat destruction. But it's also believed that people tapping the aquifer and using it as water is lowering the water tables and making the ponds dry quicker and so none of the tadpoles are surviving.

It's a shame that they are declining like they are. It's not believed to be Cytrid.
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Mike VanValen
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by Mike VanValen »

Nice. It must have been exciting to verify that the larvae were, indeed, gopher frogs.
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Kerry Nelson
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Re: Carolina Gopher Frog Release

Post by Kerry Nelson »

Nice. Love those guys, still waiting to find an adult on my own, though. Seen tons of tadpoles, eggs, heard dozens calling, seen a couple caught by others just a few yards away, found DORs, but still waiting. If nothing else, I like that the search gets you out into sweet habitat, which is more than you get searching for, say, mole kingsnakes.

Gopher Frogs were screwed long before chytrid came onto the scene. Habitat destruction, draining of wetlands, pollution, deepening ponds to stock them with fish, fire suppression, conversion of uplands to intensive silviculture, and elimination of tortoise populations (not really an issue in the Carolinas, but just another straw on the camel's back in Georgia and Florida), have all played varying roles. Tiger Salamanders, Striped Newts, and a suite of other herps, along with various insects and plants are all getting hit by the same issues hitting the same habitat. Outside Florida, I don't think any state has more than a few dozen widely scattered healthy populations.
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