The arroyo toad was listed as endangered in 1994, under the federal Endangered Species Act. At the time of the listing, the Service concluded that designation of critical habitat was not prudent for the arroyo toad because such designation would not benefit the species, and could make it more vulnerable to increased acts of habitat vandalism, destruction, or unauthorized collection. In a lawsuit filed against the Service by the Center for Biological Diversity, the plaintiffs contended the Service was in violation of section 4 of the Act, which requires a determination of critical habitat at the time a species is listed. Today's announcement is the result of a settlement agreement to submit a proposed critical habitat rule to the Federal Register by June 1, 2000. Its call is a soft, high, whistled trill that is commonly mistaken for the call of an insect.
Arroyo toads prefer shallow pools and open, sandy stream terraces.
They use adjacent upland habitat for feeding and shelter in winter. The arroyo toad historically occurred in isolated coastal and desert stream areas west of the Mojave Desert, from Monterey County south to the northwestern portion of Baja California, Mexico. Approximately 75 percent of the toad's historical habitat has been eliminated as a result of urban development, dam construction, water diversions, agriculture, and recreational activities. The arroyo toad currently is known to occur in stream areas in Monterey, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties. A complete description of the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the arroyo toad will be published in the June 8 Federal Register .