Gillian Morán Pérez is an assistant producer for LAist 89.3.
The vertical-slit pupils are one distinguishing feature of the Western spadefoot. Others are spade on its back feet and its distinctive peanut-buttery smell.The Western spadefoot needs complex habitats of streams or pools connected to grasslands.
Those are disappearing, which is why one group is petitioning for state protections. The tiny amphibian is found in the grasslands of Southern California and the Central Valley. It has endured several challenges in recent decades, including habitat loss and prolonged drought. But state endangered species protection could give the little frogs a break from the urban sprawl that threatens their habitats.. It can fit in the palm of your hand and has bumpy skin. Spadefoots are short and stout and have a hard black spur on their back feet that they use to dig — hence the name.If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.Sofia Prado-Irwin, staff scientist at the from the Center for Biological Diversity, describes the Western spadefoot as “adorable” and “resilient.” ”The most charming feature that they have is they have really big eyes that are sort of situated pretty high up on the head, so they almost look like googly eyes,” Prado-Irwin said.They breed in streams and vernal pools, temporary wetlands that pop up after rains. Once they reach adulthood, Western spadefoots hop to grasslands, where they like to burrow. And to protect themselves from predators, their skin oozes a slime that smells like peanut butter. That scent is meant to trigger watery, itchy eyes and to irritate the nose, almost like a sneeze, granting the frog a chance to leap out of danger.L.A. politicians say Wasserman's leadership is a distraction after newly released emails between him and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.Citing ICE raids fallout, LA County proposes raising threshold for evicting tenants late on rent Renters can fall two months behind on rent and still be protected from eviction. But the new rule only applies in unincorporated parts of the county.Prado-Irwin says many of those complex habitats with vernal pools and grasslands or shrublands are hard to find now in California. “There’s estimates in Southern California that 90 to 95% of those pool habitats that once existed don’t exist anymore,” Prado-Irwin said.Development can isolate populations of Western spadefoots. Prado-Irwin said that when vernal pools aren’t connected to grasslands, it can lead the amphibians to inbreed and cause the species to further decline. That’s what has happened to the Western spadefoot in Orange County, where two clusters of spadefoots that are genetically distinct are small and isolated.Prado-Irwin said this isn’t the first time the Western spadefoot has been considered for protection. In 2012, the species was petitioned for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. In 2023 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to list the species as threatened but a decision wasn’t finalized.asking for the state to list the Northern and Southern California populations of the species as threatened and endangered under state law. That petition highlights development projects that could begin within the next few years that could affect the Western spadefoot’s habitat, including one in L.A. A proposed housing development called Northlake near Castaic Lake would pave over Grasshopper Creek. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, it would likely eliminate one of the last surviving populations of the Western spadefoot in the region.Time's up for the island's invasive deer. The plan also focuses on restoring native vegetation and monitoring vulnerable species like the Island fox.The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach opens a new rehabilitation tank for rescued green sea turtles. Visitors can now see work that used to happen only behind the scenes.Officials with Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that runs a popular YouTube livestream of the nest, confirmed the crack Friday.Prado-Irwin said it’s important the state steps in to protect the species, as the Trump administration continues to weaken environmental protections, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act. And if there’s another reason to care about Western spadefoot, Prado-Irwin says, it’s because the amphibians are really good indicators of how the environment is doing: “ When amphibian populations are doing well, that’s usually an indication that the environment is generally pretty healthy,” she said. “But once amphibians start declining, that's kind of a warning flag that we need to be looking at what's going on. Because usually that means there's bigger environmental problems.” If the Western spadefoot eventually receives protection from the California Endangered Species Act, one upshot would be that development that could affect the species would require extensive reviews to mitigate harm to the amphibians. Protection would also allow the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to start working to arrest the species’ decline and to help it recover.The California Fish and Game Commission will meet April 16 to discuss whether the Western spadefoot is a candidate for protection. 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Endangered Species Frogs Habitat Toads Western Spadefoot
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