Yosemite Toad Decline

Sacramento, CA – Cattle grazing is not believed to be a contributing factor to the decline of the Yosemite Toad.

The Associated Press reports that a five year study released this week exonerates cattle grazing, which was initially blamed for the decline and became restricted by the U.S. Forest Service beginning in 2001. The study was completed by the Forest Service, with help from researchers at U.C. Berkeley and UC Davis. It states that no link could be found between the presence of cattle and the Yosemite Toad.

The researchers believe that airborne toxins and climate change could be causes of the amphibians decline. The Yosemite Toad is a candidate for listing on the Federal endangered species list after once being the most prolific amphibian across the Sierra Nevada at elevations above 6,500 ft. The decline started around the 1980’s.