GENERAL42732

• Permit No: M1976032
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 6/5/1996
• From: USFS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

The northern leapord frog ranges across much of the northern U.S. and
southern Canada. It is found throughout the State of Colorado except in
the Republican River drainage and southeastern Colorado south of the
Arkansas River. The northern leopard frog is known to occur in portions of
the Uncompahgre National Forest. There have been no surveys conducted
within the proposed project azen to determine the presence of this species.
The northern leopard frog inhabits the banks and shallow portions of
marshes, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, beaver ponds, streams, and other bodies
of permanent water, especially those having rooted aquatic vegetation.
Following hibernation, northern leapord frogs become active in April or
May. Breeding takes place in the shallow, non-flowing portions of
permanent bodies of water and in seasonally flooded areas adjacent or
contiguous with permanent pools. Breeding pools typically contain
vegetation, mats of algae, and fairly clear water. Eggs are laid on the
surface of the submergent vegetation. Metamorphosis typically proceeds
through the summer months and terrestrial forms appear in August or
September, depending on the elevation. Their diet consists largely of
insects, grubs, and larvae.
Suitable habitat is presently limiting within the project area due to the
impacts of gravel mining upon aquatic and riparian habitat within the
floodplain. Upon reviewing old photographs of the project area, it is
apparent that suitable habitat was available prior to gravel mining
operations, but that most of this habitat has been lost to extensive
erosion. Restoration of the river ecosystem would result in a beneficial
effect to amphibians such as the leopard frog through increased available
habitat.
Tiger salamander - Ambvstoma jiprinum
Forest Service sensitive species
The tiger salamander is distributed throughout much of North America. In
Colorado it is widely distributed and found at elevations up to 12,000
feet, and are relatively common on the Uncompahgre National Forest. Tiger
salamanders occur in virtually any habitat in Colorado, provided there is a
body of non-flowing water nearby for breeding. However, they do not
regularly occupy alpine habitat. These salamanders inhabit ponds, lakes,
and reservoirs ranging in size from 10 feet in diameter to several acres in
size. They ere equally at home in clear water lakes, kettle ponds, and
beaver ponds as well as turbid ponds badly polluted with cow manure.
Sunny, mud-bottomed ponds at least 18-24 inches deep with a shallow,
beach-like shore appear to be preferred. Vegetation may or may not be
present in the water. Tiger salamanders are usually absent from waters
inhabited by fish, bullfrogs, turtles, and crayfish.
Metamorphosed salamanders usually spend the winter underground in rodent
burrows or under down logs. In spring, tiger salamanders leave their
winter retreats and migrate to breeding ponds. Migration may occur over
long distances and usually coincides with winter ice melt and wet spring
conditions. Breeding normally occurs in marshes, bogs, wet hummocks or
shallow portions of lakes, ponds, reservoirs or slow streams, as well as
intermittent ponds, reservoirs, or streams. At higher elevations, eggs are
laid March to June, and adhere to submerged debris. Adult salamanders
usually leave the ponds after breeding and return to land. Hatching occurs
2-5 weeks after the eggs are laid, taking longer at higher elevations. The
length of the aquatic larval period varies greatly. Larvae usually
metamophose before their first winter, but may not until they are two years
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