Muleshoe’s first Save the Frogs Day was a success! Thirty people (14 adults and 16 kids) participated in this year’s event, including a science class from a local middle school. We learned about our local frog (Lowland leopard frog, Lithobates yavapaiensis), built them a new pond, and of course ran into a snake or two.
We’ll let the photos (and video) tell the story.
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Dennis Caldwell (green shirt) of the FROG Conservation Project, discusses threats to frogs while pointing out some Lowland Leopard Frogs in the Twin Lakes.
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One of the students gets up close and personal with a Lowland Leopard Frog.
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This frog didn’t seem to mind being photographed…
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And was quite photogenic!
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The middle school students helped us install a new frog pond at Headquarters. This timelapse video was taken as they dug the pond.
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While this pond may not look pretty yet, a similar-sized pond that was put in last fall already has successful breeding in it (Can you spot the newly metamorhposized frog with the large tail?).
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Saturday was all about frogs, but it’s hard NOT to find snakes at Muleshoe! Several made an appearance, including our old friend Porter (female black-tailed rattlesnake), who reappeared at the Visitor Center for the first time this year. Last fall she was one of the last rattlesnakes seen at the Visitor Center and also hunted there last summer.
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Jeff helps one of the kids find Porter, who is resting under the little wooden boardwalk.
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Fun for the entire family!
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We captured another black-tailed rattlesnake (Tarzan) that we processed (marked and measured) with the students.
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As Tarzan goes to sleep, Jeff explains how we paint their rattles so we can identify Tarzan in the future without handling him again.
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Everyone pitched in to help monitor his heart rate.
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Sunday morning we took a small group out to visit Bane, our male Arizona black rattlesnake.
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Guests were excited to check out our beautiful boy, who didn’t disappoint.
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Thanks to everyone who participated in our first Save the Frogs Day!