Orange County, California, of course. And we're talkin' toad.
The
western spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii) is a three-inch long, rotund little amphibian noted as a
"species of concern" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It's got big pupils that expand and contract like cat eyes, and it secretes skin mucus that
smells like peanut butter.
It's also one of many amphibian, reptile and small mammal species that USGS biologists are studying on lands managed by the
Irvine Ranch Conservancy, a nonprofit nonadvocacy organization that manages some 50,000 acres of
the historic Irvine Ranch.
WERC's San Diego Field Station has been working extensively on lands managed by the conservancy since 2005. Station biologists
Sara Schuster,
Liz Gallegos and
Adam Backlin are based in Irvine, and they work with conservancy colleagues to study the ecosystems of the
Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks -- which is recognized by the
U.S. Department of Interior National Natural Landmarks and the
California Natural Landmarks programs.
You can learn more about USGS projects on Irvine Ranch Conservancy lands in their latest newsletter:
http://activities.irconservancy.org/Winter2010Partner
-- Ben Young Landis
Top: WERC biologist Chris Brown is an accomplished photographer, whose snapshots include this wide-eyed fellow, a western spadefoot toad. Image credit: Chris Brown/USGS.
Read More:
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey