Management 



1 ) With an increasing number of amphibians species declining for various reasons, it seems 

 reasonable to pro-actively manage habitat to support them. While not all ways of preserving 

 these species are currently known, several management actions could certainly negatively impact 

 them. Without adequate breeding areas, amphibians cannot survive, and the types of water used 

 is often species-specific. 



a) Fish stocking in currently Ashless lakes and ponds in which amphibians breed should be 

 carefully evaluated. Fish introductions are thought to be a major factor in frog declines in 

 the Sierra Nevada Mountains and probably elsewhere as well (Hayes and Jennings 1986). 



b) When "improving" springs or seeps for livestock, leave a portion of the area suitable for 

 amphibian reproduction. This could include a small fenced off area above where the 

 water is taken up and put into a watering tank. 



c) Springs, seeps, and both permanent and temporary ponds should be considered when 

 analyzing effects of land management activities such as grazing, logging, and road 

 building. 



2) A critical component of the life cycle in snakes is the wintering den. Many species hibernate 

 in large aggregations in traditionally-used sites. Often these hibemacula are used by several 

 species, and mating takes place at the den site. Snakes then move out for up to 7 miles for the 

 summer, returning in the fall. These sites are typically in areas where snakes can get well down 

 into an area of fractured rock, often near cliffs or in talus slopes. While these sites are robust, 

 road building or mining may nonetheless destroy them. Den sites should be protected and data 

 relating to their locations kept where successive biologists have access to them. 



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