Amphibians
Chiricahua Leopard Frog
Lithobates chiricahuensis · also called Chiricahua leopard frogs
High in a southwestern sky-island mountain range, a Chiricahua leopard frog rests at the edge of an isolated pool, cut off from other populations of its own species by miles of unsuitable terrain in every direction. A single disease outbreak here could wipe out this entire local population with little hope of natural recolonisation.
Overview
The Chiricahua leopard frog, Lithobates chiricahuensis, is a federally threatened amphibian native to isolated mountain wetland habitat across Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. Its fragmented sky-island distribution and vulnerability to chytrid fungus make it one of the more actively managed amphibian conservation cases in the American Southwest.
Islands of habitat, islands of risk
Scattered across separate mountain ranges with little natural connection between them, Chiricahua leopard frog populations face disease and decline largely in isolation, a fragmented distribution that makes coordinated conservation management essential to the species’ survival.
Status
Vulnerable — federally threatened, declining due to habitat loss, introduced predators, and chytrid fungus, with active conservation and captive breeding efforts underway.
Chiricahua Leopard Frog: common questions
Why is the Chiricahua leopard frog federally threatened?
The Chiricahua leopard frog is federally listed as threatened in the United States, having experienced widespread population declines across a substantial portion of its historical range due to a combination of habitat loss, introduced predatory species such as bullfrogs and non-native fish, and chytrid fungus infection affecting numerous isolated populations.
Why does chytrid fungus affect the Chiricahua leopard frog so severely?
The Chiricahua leopard frog is considered particularly vulnerable to infection by chytrid fungus, a lethal amphibian disease that disrupts the skin's essential functions, and because the species already survives in a series of small, isolated populations across sky-island mountain ranges, a disease outbreak in one location can eliminate an entire local population with little chance of natural recolonisation.
Does the Chiricahua leopard frog breed in artificial water sources?
Yes, in parts of its range, the Chiricahua leopard frog has come to rely on artificial stock tanks and other human-made water sources for breeding, since these can provide relatively stable water availability compared with some natural pools that may dry up more unpredictably across its arid mountain habitat.
Where does the Chiricahua leopard frog live?
The Chiricahua leopard frog is native to isolated mountain wetland and stream habitat across parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico, occupying scattered sky-island mountain range populations with limited natural connectivity between many separate sites.