RECOMMENDATIONS 



1) Monitoring of the Coeur D'Alene salamander should be conducted following the specific 

 protocols and sites in the Conservation Assessment (Cassirer et al. 1994). This includes 

 monitoring all sites every 10 years and annually at three sites; these include the Koocanusa North 

 site on the Rexford District, the Kootenai Falls East site on the Libby District, and the Kootenai 

 Falls West site on the Three Rivers District (Cassirer et al. 1994). 



2) Long-term monitoring of typical marsh-pond habitats should be set up at two or three sites in a 

 district in order to evaluate relative numbers and breeding success of the more common species: 

 Long-toed salamander, Spotted frog, Western toad, Pacific chorus frog, Western terrestrial garter 

 snake, Common garter snake, and Painted turtle. Particular attention needs to be given to the 

 Western toad and the Pacific chorus frog. 



3) Due to the time restraints and the large area covered in this survey, it should not be regarded 

 as a definitive index of all the herptiles or their distribution in the KNF. The secretive habits of 

 many amphibians and reptiles, and our lack of knowledge regarding their reproductive behavior 

 makes it difficult to assess their overall status. Long-term monitoring and/or frequent surveys 

 are the only tools we have for assuring their existence into the future. We recommend that 

 additional surveys be conducted, concentrating on: A) potential Western toads and Pacific chorus 

 frogs breeding sites; B) low-elevation, xeric habitats for reptiles; and C) any historic amphibian 

 sites not yet revisited. In particular, additional wetland surveys should be done on a small ponds 

 and lakes which lack fish and dry up in at least some years; such areas at all altitudes need 

 additional surveys. These areas are often missed because many do not appear on USGS maps, 

 particularly those that are quite small and dry up every year. 



4) Life history and ecology of the amphibians in Montana is poorly known for most species. 

 Only perhaps for the Tailed frog and Coeur dAlene salamander are information presently 

 available to do habitat suitability models and perhaps population viability analyses. For the 

 Spotted frog we are lacking information on which habitats successful reproduction is taking 

 place, as opposed to breeding attempts. For the other species of amphibians and all reptiles we 

 are far from having sufficient data for habitat suitability models or population viability analyses. 

 Long-term monitoring will give us needed information on timing of and habitat requirements for 

 successful breeding. 



5) Sightings of the two lizard species (Alligator lizard, Western skink) and the Rubber boa, 

 Racer, and Gopher snake are quite rare and usually fortuitous. It is recommended that reliable 

 reports of these species be recorded; specific time, location, and observer should be kept on file. 

 It is possible that any one of these species could disappear without us even realizing it. 



6) Sightings of the Tiger salamander, Idaho giant salamander, Leopard frog, Wood frog, and 

 Western rattlesnake would represent first-time occurrences and range extensions, thus it is 



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