1. Southern California MYLF Current Status and Management Recommendations Adam Backlin, Cindy Hitchcock and Robert Fisher San Diego Field Station U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

2. Overview 1)MYLF Status 2)Update on 2004 USGS Surveys 3)Trout Removal - Current Management Action Update 4)The MYLF Conservation and Assessment Strategy 5)Captive Breeding and Translocation Translocation

3. Status-Historical Locations of the MYLF

4. Status-2000-2004 MYLF Survey Locations

5. Status-Adult MYLF Population Estimates

6. Update-City Creek 3 Visits (2004): No Frogs Found Captive frogs at LA Zoo: 7 males 3 females

7. Update-City Creek Habitat Photos from San Bernardino FS Before 2003 fire After 2003 fire & debris flowsAfter 2003 fire, debris flows and record 2004/2005 rainfall

8. Update-City Creek Temperatures 2004 2003 37°C = fatal to R. muscosa tadpoles in lab experiments (Mullally and Cunningham, 1956) 7°C-21°C = range R. muscosa normally experiences (Zweifel, 1955) 0°C-25°C = range we recorded in So.Cal. streams with R. muscosa (2003-2004 data) South Fork Big Rock Creek (comparison) 5/4 9/17

9. Update-Dark Canyon Tributary 3 Visits (2004): RangeAvg. Adults:5-107 Larvae:11-340227 Metamorphs:0-217 Egg Mass:0-10

10. Update-Fuller Mill Creek 1 Visit (2004): 2 Larvae Found

11. 1 Visit (2004): 4 Juveniles Found Update-Devil’s Canyon

12. Bear GulchUpdate-Vincent Gulch 1 Visit (2004): 1 Adult Found 1 Visit (2004): 18 Larvae Found

13. Update-South Fork Big Rock Creek Tributary 6 Visits (2004): RangeAvg. Adults:12-1815 Larvae:2-31767 Metamorphs:0-41 Egg Mass:00

14. Update-Little Rock Creek 6 Visits (2004): RangeAvg. Adults:2-74 Larvae:0-82 Metamorphs:00 Egg Mass:00

15. Trout Removal Study Design

16. Trout Removal Counts CDFG Data:

17. Little Rock Creek Trout have not been completely removed Upstream MYLF population consists of only 9 adults South Fork Big Rock Creek Trout were never completely removed and are quickly recolonizing Currently no barriers to prevent trout from moving into tributary where MYLF currently inhabit East Fork City Creek No longer supports either MYLFs or Trout Trout Removal Summary

18. Little Rock Creek Continue trout removal When trout are completely removed, experimental translocation of tadpoles from upstream to newly available predator free habitat South Fork Big Rock Creek Continue with plans to construct a barrier between the campground and the tributary where the MYLF occurs East Fork City Creek Continue to evaluate habitat Trout Removal Recommendations

19. Conservation Assessment and Strategy

20. Captive Breeding Program - Definitions Captive Breeding: Breed frogs in a controlled laboratory environment. Examples: Propagate frogs at CRES using the 10 captive frogs salvaged from City Creek. Propagate frogs at CRES by growing up wild tadpoles salvaged from drying pools or harvested from over-crowded conditions. Translocation: Moving animals from one location to another. Examples: From pool to pool within a site. From wild to CRES for head-starting or captive breeding. From CRES to wild for repatriation.

21. Captive Breeding Program - Definitions Repatriation: Moving animals back into a location where they formerly occurred. Example: From CRES to historical location Head-starting: Assisted rearing of animals. Examples: 1)Ex situ: Involves interim step of bringing animals to a facility (wild eggs or tadpoles) to grow to a more robust size or stage for re-release. 2)In situ: Involves interim step of protecting tadpoles at the field site in rearing pens before final release to the wild.

22. LA Zoo frogs Test for chytrid fungus Test for chytrid fungus Treat for chytrid and re-test Treat for chytrid and re-test Attempt to breed at CRES Attempt to breed at CRES Consider alternatives 1) Re-locate to another facility 2) Use in lab experiments for hypothesis testing 3) Voucher Consider alternatives 1) Re-locate to another facility 2) Use in lab experiments for hypothesis testing 3) Voucher Breeding is not successful Breeding is not successful Breeding is successful Re-try using hormones Re-try using hormones Head-start larvae Grow into frogs Test for chytrid and assess general health (lethargy) Test for chytrid and assess general health (lethargy) Quarantine Attempt translocation / reintroduction to wild Attempt translocation / reintroduction to wild To end captive program, return all animals to the wild. To end captive program, return all animals to the wild. Wild-caught larvae - + - + - + MYLF Captive Breeding Program-Decision Tree Prepare animals for translocation: 1) Quarantine healthy animals for release 2) Translocation permits in place from FWS 3) Site approvals in place Prepare animals for translocation: 1) Quarantine healthy animals for release 2) Translocation permits in place from FWS 3) Site approvals in place

23. Healthy animals ready to release Healthy animals ready to release Translocation: (within same site and/or site to CRES) 1) Drying pools 2) Overcrowded tadpoles Translocation: (within same site and/or site to CRES) 1) Drying pools 2) Overcrowded tadpoles Translocation Process-Decision Tree Repatriation (CRES to historical site) Repatriation (CRES to historical site) Permits: 1) USFWS 10A1A 2) CDFG Permits? Permits: 1) USFWS 10A1A 2) CDFG Permits? Permits: 1) Emergency salvage permit 2) USFWS 10A1A 3) CDFG Permits? Permits: 1) Emergency salvage permit 2) USFWS 10A1A 3) CDFG Permits? Location approval: 1) USFS: NEPA, bio. assessment 2) Agua Caliente 3) James Reserve 4) State Parks Location approval: 1) USFS: NEPA, bio. assessment 2) Agua Caliente 3) James Reserve 4) State Parks Head-starting in situ: 1) Pens for tadpoles in-situ 2) 25-50 tads per 10 gal. size pen 3) 1 pen per pool 4) # pools per creek dependent on availability of tadpoles and pools Head-starting in situ: 1) Pens for tadpoles in-situ 2) 25-50 tads per 10 gal. size pen 3) 1 pen per pool 4) # pools per creek dependent on availability of tadpoles and pools Head-starting in situ (cont.): (after 1-2 weeks of rearing in-situ) 1) Check health and count tadpoles 2) Release animals from pens Head-starting in situ (cont.): (after 1-2 weeks of rearing in-situ) 1) Check health and count tadpoles 2) Release animals from pens Monitoring ( presence/absence) : 1) One month following release 2) The following year Monitoring ( presence/absence) : 1) One month following release 2) The following year Long-term monitoring: 1) Each year for 5 years following the last release 2) Every 3 years for the next 9 years 3) Every 10 years thereafter Long-term monitoring: 1) Each year for 5 years following the last release 2) Every 3 years for the next 9 years 3) Every 10 years thereafter Failure to thrive: 1) Document causes 2) Alleviate problems Failure to thrive: 1) Document causes 2) Alleviate problems Continued failure to thrive: 1) Try a different location 2) Abandon translocation Continued failure to thrive: 1) Try a different location 2) Abandon translocation Head-starting at CRES: 1) Rear to more robust size/stage 2) Rear for new breeding stock Head-starting at CRES: 1) Rear to more robust size/stage 2) Rear for new breeding stock

24. Possible Captive Breeding Program Time Line March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005-2007, the sooner, the better June 2005-2007, the sooner, the better April 2006 May 2006 May 2007 Swab test and genetics of 10 captive frogs (USGS) Move 10 frogs to CRES (USGS) Attempt to breed captive frogs (CRES) Permits to take wild-caught tadpoles from overcrowded conditions for translocation to CRES and for within creek translocations (FWS/CDFG) Permits to take wild-caught tadpoles from overcrowded conditions for translocation to CRES and for within creek translocations (FWS/CDFG) Sites approved for translocation (USFS, State Parks, Agua Caliente, James Reserve) Sites approved for translocation (USFS, State Parks, Agua Caliente, James Reserve) Permits to head-start in wild and release animals to wild (FWS/CDFG) Permits to head-start in wild and release animals to wild (FWS/CDFG) Permits to PIT-tag toe, clip and monitor released frogs (FWS/CDFG) Permits to PIT-tag toe, clip and monitor released frogs (FWS/CDFG)

25. Summary The southern California MYLF is imperiled For persistence and recovery USGS recommends: 1.Continuing the trout removal work 2.Begin captive breeding and translocation Permits Preparation of the breeding/rearing facility Translocation site approvals