Tadpoles swim near the shore. Up to four species of frogs hide among the cattails. Several golden eagles roost in nearby trees. There are ponds like this all across the district. One by one, workers are fencing off park ponds to keep cows and people away, DiDonato says.
Water flows through pipes to troughs outside the fences, where cattle and other animals can drink.
If red-leggeds are listed as endangered, the pace of protection will quicken across the state. The listing would make it difficult for farmers or developers to alter or destroy ponds that contain frogs, says Gary Beeman, a Lafayette wildlife biologist and consultant. Increased restrictions would be questioned by industry groups that find the Endangered Species Act, one of the toughest environmental laws in the nation, difficult to work with. Our social and economics institutions need to be concerned. Society needs to make value judgments on which wildlife and plant species are most important to protect, she says.