Northern Leopard Frog
Status
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In 1984, the Northern Leopard Frog was listed as a
declining species in Alberta, and the goals of monitoring population status and ensuring viable populations were established. In the following year, the species was categorized as
status undetermined in "A Draft Policy for the Management of Threatened Wildlife in
Alberta". Because of concerns over widespread population declines in southern Alberta, the official status was upgraded in 1991 and the Northern Leopard Frog was designated as a
Red List species. This status was reaffirmed in 1996.
In 1991, a provincial status report was prepared which recommended that the Northern Leopard Frog be designated as a
threatened species and that its legal status under the Alberta Wildlife Act be changed from an
unlicensed (non-license) species, which allowed for the collection or harvesting of the species but prohibited exportation, buying or selling, to a
licensed (nongame) species to afford the species protection from collecting. A draft provincial management plan was prepared in 1992 . The management plan established the goal of maintaining or restoring
a minimum of 30 viable subpopulations in six drainage systems across the historic range in Alberta. It also recommended that the Northern Leopard Frog be designated as an
endangered species under the Alberta Wildlife Act.
In January 1997, the species was designated as an endangered species under the Alberta Wildlife Act.
For more information on what is being done
to help the status of all frogs in Canada check out the FrogWatch
website!