Daily Archives: October 22, 2016

Relict leopard frogs not in need of federal protection

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relict-leopard-frogPHOENIX — A frog species in Arizona and southern Nevada does not need federal protection under the Endangered Species Act, thanks to the multi-partner conservation efforts of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other federal and state agencies that make up the Relict Leopard Frog Conservation Team. The Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that relict leopard frog populations are stable or increasing.

The Service was petitioned in 2002 by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance to list the relict leopard frog and designate critical habitat for it. The Service, Arizona Game and Fish and other partners were already involved in coordinated conservation efforts for the frog before the petition was filed. Those efforts include ongoing habitat management, establishment of new sites, and restoration activities, which have resulted in an overall reduction of most threats and an improvement in the species’ status.

“This shows that collaborative, on-the-ground efforts lead to conservation successes,” said Jim deVos, assistant director for Game and Fish’s Wildlife Management Division. “By taking proactive measures that preclude the need for listing a species under the Endangered Species Act, we have much more flexibility in actively managing the species so it can ultimately thrive.”

Members of the Relict Leopard Frog Conservation Team have included the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Bureau of Reclamation, Environmental Protection Agency, Clark County (Nevada), the Southern Nevada Water Authority (including the Las Vegas Springs Preserve), the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the University of Nevada, Reno.

The relict leopard frog is currently found in springs in southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. The frog historically occupied a variety of habitats, including springs, streams, and other wetlands. Nonnative predators such as crayfish, American bullfrogs, and fish have reduced the relict leopard frog’s range.

ADOT prepared to keep highways open, safe during snow season

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towplow-in-action_cropPHOENIX –– With winter and the promise of snow in the high country rapidly approaching, preparation throughout the year means the Arizona Department of Transportation is ready to keep highways open and travelers safe.

Through its certification and training programs, ADOT has 400 certified snowplow operators ready for winter storms.

Regular maintenance by ADOT Equipment Services has the agency’s 200 snowplows ready to go. Last winter, ADOT spent $2.2 million, an average of $11,000 per vehicle, to keep its snowplows in top condition.

“It’s always difficult to predict not only how severe winter weather will be but where problems will occur,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “With our operators trained and our snowplow fleet up and running, however, ADOT has the resources necessary to respond to snow and ice around the state.”

ADOT’s snowplows working on Interstate 40 between Williams and Flagstaff will include a second TowPlow, a steerable trailer that allows one driver in a snowplow to clear two lanes. Attached to the back of a snowplow and steered by the snowplow driver, the TowPlow allows ADOT remove snow and ice more efficiently while using less fuel, and it frees another snowplow and driver to work elsewhere.

As with any snowplow, drivers approaching a TowPlow should slow down and pass only when the operator pulls over to allow traffic to get around. Remember: The road behind a plow is the safest place to be when snow and ice are on the highway.

While ADOT is ready to keep the roads open and as safe as possible in challenging conditions, motorists can do their part by preparing for travel in winter weather.

ADOT’s “Know Snow” website at azdot.gov/KnowSnow has tips that include adjusting your speed to conditions, leaving extra room between your vehicle and the one ahead, carrying plenty of food and water, and packing an emergency preparedness kit. Tips include carrying a small bag of cat litter or sand to provide traction if your vehicle becomes stuck along the roadway.