Pacific Southwest Region 2023 California red-legged frog Recovery Champions
Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office
Top to Bottom/Left to Right: Clark Winchell, Frank Santana, Anny Peralta, Jorge Valdez-Villavicencio, Bradford Hollingsworth, Judy Wheatley, Charles Wheatley, Elizabeth Gallegos, Robert Fisher, Susan North, and Adam Backlin. Credit: USFWS

Clark Winchell 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Anny Peralta 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Fauna del Noroeste A.C. 

Jorge Valdez-Villavicencio 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Fauna del Noroeste A.C. 

Bradford Hollingsworth 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;San Diego Natural History Museum

Charles and Judy Wheatley 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Wheatley Ranch 

Robert Fisher 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;U.S. Geological Survey 

Susan North 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;The Nature Conservancy of California 

Frank Santana 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;City of San Diego 

Adam Backlin 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;U.S. Geological Survey 

Elizabeth Gallegos 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;U.S. Geological Survey

California red-legged frog recovery partners have collectively moved the species closer to recovery, most notably through their efforts to reestablish the frog in the southern-most portion of its range where it had disappeared decades earlier. Over the years, these individuals have demonstrated extraordinary vision, leadership, and collaboration in developing a bi-national plan for reintroducing the species, which includes transporting egg masses from Baja California, Mexico, to sites in Riverside and San Diego counties, California. Efforts to work with landowners to identify suitable habitat for releases, along with management and monitoring of the species, exemplify the Service鈥檚 mission of working with others to conserve species and their habitats for the benefit of the American people.

For all the winners.