clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by mikeygraz 5 Omaha, NE (My Page) on Fri, Jul 11, 08 at 15:43 PervinPatty - Obviously you didn't do YOUR research on this subject. You undoubtedly got your information from the following website: www.californiaherps.com This is an excellent resource, and I know some of the people who have put that whole thing together. You obviously didn't look at the species list closely enough, as you will see that the southern leopard frog (Rana utricularia) is an INTRODUCED species - that means it is not native and doesn't belong there! While northern leopard frogs once had a few spots in northerneastern California where they were present, it is likely that they are EXTIRPATED (that means they are gone) from the state now, as it also says on that site and if you actually took the time to read scientific journals (as I do) you'll see that repeated efforts to find relict populations have failed. Also, you'll notice that northern leopard frogs never ranged into Central california, where you say you live...so again, that goes back to my saying you shouldn't be bringing in nonnative or nonlocal species. Obviously you didn't read my original post - do you really think that a northern leopard frog (or leopard toad, as you put it, haha) with its origins in North Carolina would survive in your region? I doubt it...not to mention the fact that it is ILLEGAL. You tried using the word "indigenous" as well - you have to use that word with some measure of scale - there are lots of anurans indigenous to California - but how about YOUR LOCAL area? I guess by your rules, you could take a Couch's spadefoot toad from extreme southeastern CA and put it in your pond...because its indigenous to California, right? Or maybe a Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea), because they are indigenous to the United State, and they sure are pretty! Again, do your research, and if you're too lazy to go find some construction sites or golf courses nearby you, then tough luck. Don't get pissy at me for advising and educating you about the problems that could be caused by your actions. ~Mike An old post but worth repeating!

I have been in Florida since 69, the native wildlife & plant life has been changing for many years but the global economy is really taking it's toll. Florida is different than many states as the sub-tropical weather allows many species to climatises & flourish here. We ship plants to all parts of the globe & they ship theirs here. There is no way a inspector can confirm a entire shipment of plants if pest free, hence we have citrus greening, a half dozen types of white flies. sri lanka weevils, Cuban tree frogs, pythons and a Gambian rat as big as a cat in the Fla Keys. As much as I don't like indiscriminate killing of wildlife I will exterminate every exotic pest I find. The health of the Fla ecosystem is counting on it. Check out the Fish & Wildlife page on current exotics. http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/amphibians/ Some are not much of a problem but others like the Bufo toad or Cuban tree frog are. Just my two cents Craig Here is a link that might be useful: FWC invasive speices

Hmmm is Treefrog going to be on display?

Tree frogs - at least the ones around Missouri, we have green and gray ones - are way too small to have much edible leg meat! Not that I'd recommend that anyway. Just saying. I do love critters but they can get to be a pain and you start wishing you had some way to have fewer of them without murdering them all. Squirrels that eat the bird food, woodpeckers that attack the house, possums that burrow under the porch, etc. It's kind of like, as Tom Lehrer (the humorist and songwriter) said, being a Christian Scientist with appendicitis. :-D