A big leap for Northern Leopard Frogs

Hundreds of tiny endangered Northern Leopard frogs took a leap back into the wild over the summer at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in Grant County. The releases were made possible by a partnership of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Oregon Zoo, and Washington State University (WSU). WDFW collected Northern Leopard frog eggs earlier this spring, and after months of growing at the university and zoo's conservation labs, the frogs had reached an inch in size and were ready for release. What these frogs lack in size, they make up for by playing a big role in Washington food webs.