Woodhouse’s frog (Anaxyrus woodhousii) (representational image, Instagram/Tom Mathies)
A rare Woodhouse frog has returned to the Springs Sanctuary in Las Vegas for the first time in nearly 65 years, giving conservationists new hope that the wildlife will return to restored habitat where the species once lived naturally.The male frog was captured on camera in the Cienega Reserve, a desert wetland, while making its mating call. Officials said this was the first recorded sighting of a Woodhouse’s frog at the site since about 1962, when the original springs dried up and the species disappeared from the area.The unexpected discovery became an important milestone for the Springs Sanctuary, which has spent years restoring habitat and returning native species to the land.
Although only one frog has been seen so far, conservationists say its appearance shows that the restored wetlands are once again supporting wildlife.
A surprise visitor
The Springs Sanctuary announced the discovery on social media, calling it a “huge moment in local wildlife history.” “Woodhouse’s frog has hopped his way back to the Springs Sanctuary; no small feat for little feet!” “The reserve wrote in a Facebook post.A trail camera captured “this adult male calling at Cienega, possibly an early colonizer, although no females have responded to date,” officials said.
The male appears to be searching for a mate, but no female Woodhouse frogs have been discovered yet.According to the sanctuary, Woodhouse’s frogs once lived around natural springs that supported wildlife and early settlers in Las Vegas. This changed when the springs dried up around 1962.After the wetlands disappeared, this species hybridized or hybridized with Arizona frogs elsewhere in the Las Vegas Valley.
“They have been hybridizing or hybridizing with Arizona frogs in the Las Vegas Valley, completely replacing that species since approximately 1976,” the conservancy explained.Because of these changes, Woodhouse’s frogs have not been recorded in the reserve for decades. “There have been no records of any frogs in the reserve since the original springs dried up sometime around 1962, so this is the first recorded sighting here in nearly 65 years,” the conservancy said.
Years of restoration
The frog’s return comes as the Springs Preserve continues a larger effort to restore wetlands along the historic Las Vegas Creek channel. The reserve has recreated wetland habitats designed to resemble the area’s original landscape and is working to restore local wildlife.Fox 5 employees spotted the animal through a wildlife camera, said Katrina Smith, chief zoologist at the Springs Sanctuary. “A lone male Woodhouse’s Toad has appeared on the property,” Smith said.
“This frog hasn’t been seen on our property in probably 60 years. We have no records of it,” he added.The restored habitats have begun to naturally attract wildlife, even beyond species introduced by conservationists, she said.The Woodhouse frog is not the only species involved in the reserve’s conservation work. Staff created two ponds in an area known as Cottonwood Grove as part of a rewilding program focused on the remains of the leopard frog, a state-protected species.Smith said the effort is connected to the history of the Las Vegas Valley. The Vegas Valley tiger frog, once native to the area, became extinct after local water sources disappeared. The remains of the leopard frog are now being used as a replacement for that lost species.The Cottonwood Grove wetlands are also home to the endangered Pahrump Poolfish. According to the reserve, more than 430 species of birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians have now been documented on the property through iNaturalist, a public wildlife recording platform.The recreated wetland system collects runoff water from the Ulta Canal, helping to create a habitat that attracts animals on its own, Smith said.
Lonely frog, but an encouraging sign
Despite the excitement, the Woodhouse’s frog has not been seen again since its first appearance on the trail camera. The nocturnal animal may have moved to another water source or simply avoided cameras after its first appearance, Smith said. Since this species is mainly active at night, visitors are unlikely to see them during the day.The Springs Preserve has three miles of hiking trails, including trails through the Cottonwood Grove wetlands, where visitors can observe other local wildlife. Staff also encouraged people to photograph wildlife and upload their sightings to iNaturalist to help monitor species living in restored habitats.The reserve also invited the public to help name the lone visitor. Suggestions from social media users include Frodo the Toado, Slippy, Toady, Uno and Mack.Several residents said they have seen Woodhouse frogs elsewhere in the Las Vegas area. “I have them come out and jump across my garden to get to the pond every spring,” one Facebook user wrote. Another said there were “hundreds in the pond at the golf course where I live” and described hearing their squawks every summer.
