QUINCY, Calif. December 29, 2017 – Local American bullfrog populations and a proposed control plan are the topics of a community meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., Jan. 9, at the Quincy Library Conference Room at 445 Jackson Street in Quincy.

The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is native to the eastern U.S. and Canada, but has quickly established itself around the world as an invasive species that easily displaces native species for food and space. Bullfrogs, potentially weighing over 2 pounds when mature, have an insatiable appetite, consuming anything they can fit in their mouths including insects, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, fish, rodents, bats and birds.

In the eastern U.S., predators largely keep bullfrog populations in check, but in California that is typically not the case and populations continue to expand. In addition, bullfrogs are known carriers of chytrid fungus, which does not harm the bullfrogs, but is transmittable to other species of amphibians where it may have detrimental effects (see recent article, “American bullfrogs threaten native wildlife,” published Sept. 13, 2017 at www.plumasnews.com ).

Partners supporting the effort include the U.S. Forest Service, Plumas Audubon Society, Feather River College, Plumas Unified School District, Trout Unlimited, Plumas Corporation, and a group of concerned local citizens known as the Meadow Valley Amigos.

The Plumas National Forest cooperates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in initiatives to protect endangered species on Forest Service lands.  In the State Wildlife Action Plan, CDFW identified the bullfrog as an invasive species requiring detection and control actions to protect native wildlife (https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/SWAP/Final ).”

Meadow Valley residents with information about bullfrog locations are encouraged to attend this meeting or submit information to Colin Dillingham, Mt Hough Ranger District Wildlife Biologist, via email (cdillingham@fs.fed.us ) or telephone ((530) 283-0555).

More information about the bullfrog may be found at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.