Past: Yosemite National Park

As a Wildlife Biologist for Yosemite National Park, I was charged with the conservation, management, and restoration of endangered aquatic species and their associated habitats. Specifically, I worked with the Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Frog, California Red-Legged Frog, Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog, Yosemite Toad, and Western Pond Turtle.

Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana sierrae)
The Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Frog is a federally endangered amphibian that was once the most abundant species found in the high sierras. Due to the stocking of non-native fish and the widespread onset of chytridiomycosis - an amphibian fungal disease - this species has experienced over 90% decline in population. At Yosemite National Park, we are working to restore habitat for this species by removing non-native fish from designated lakes, streams, and watersheds. Once a lake is declared "fishless" we then help reintroduce native populations back to the restored watershed and closely monitor their recovery.

California Red-Legged Frog (Rana draytonii)
Until recently, the California Red-Legged Frog was extirpated from its native habitat in Yosemite National Park due to the introduction and predation by American Bullfrogs. For the past several years, we have worked on tracking and removing bullfrogs from Yosemite Valley. In the spring of 2019, 100 juvenile red-legged frogs were released into Yosemite Valley in an attempt to restore this native species. Later that year, multiple red-legged frog eggs were discovered, indicating the successful reintroduction of a self-sustaining population. This species is being closely monitored, and has continued being a success.

Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana boylii)
In a collaboration with the San Francisco Hetch Hetchy Water System, annual visual encounter and environmental DNA surveys are conducted on the Upper Tuolumne River Ecosystem. These surveys are intended to detect any remaining Foothill Yellow-Legged Frogs and better understand their habitat preference and distribution.

Western Pond Turtle(Actinemys marmorata)
The Western Pond Turtle is the only turtle species native to California. Historically, this species inhabited Yosemite Valley but has since become locally extinct. In an effort to better understand this species, 15 females turtles were selected from surrounding locations, marked with radio transmitters, and released into Yosemite Valley. Individual turtles were tracked to understand their distribution, habitat preference, and likelihood of survival. Blood from each turtle was also collected and analyzed to identify genetically distinct populations. We hope to one day release a viable, self-sustaining population of Western Pond turtles back into Yosemite National Park.