Three Sierra Nevada Amphibians Receive Endangered Species Act Protection

Three amphibians native to Sierra Nevada are now protected under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a statement.

The Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and a distinct population of the frog are listed as endangered. The Yosemite toad will now be protected as a threatened species, the agency said.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, habitat loss, pesticide, climate change, disease and predation have led to a decline in the population of Yellow-legged frogs throughout the Sierra Nevada.

The northern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of mountain yellow-legged frog has declined by as much as 80 percent, abc news reported.

The Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus canorus) has been listed as threatened under the ESA. The toad's population has reduced by 50 percent.

"We're glad these frogs and toads are getting the lifeline they need so badly," said Collette Adkins Giese, a Center biologist and lawyer who specializes in protecting amphibians and reptiles, according to a news release. "Threats like toxic pesticides hurt these animals even in the high Sierras. But now, with the protections of the Endangered Species Act, we can do what's necessary to save these rare amphibians from extinction."

The three amphibians are now mostly found on publicly managed lands. They can be found around lakes and streams within National Parks in the region. The current status of the animals under the federal list means that these frogs and toads will now be protected from human-led activities that could threaten their existence, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

In 2013, the FWS proposed over million acres of habitat for frogs and toads, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

"Yellow-legged frogs and Yosemite toads have suffered massive declines in recent decades and disappeared from most of the places where they once lived," said Adkins Giese. "The Endangered Species Act has a nearly perfect record of stopping animals from going extinct - it's hands-down our best tool for saving these rare amphibians."