Letters: Helping frogs and humans

Re “Frog eggs head up the hill,” March 13

Efforts to reintroduce red-legged frogs to the Santa Monica Mountains are crucial to assuring the future of these California natives once common in the state. The population of red-legged frogs has declined by more than 90%.

Since red-legged frogs gained federal Endangered Species Act protection, we’ve learned much about threats to our struggling amphibian populations, none more prevalent than the 200 million pounds of pesticides applied to California crops annually, some of which drifts into the frogs’ mountain habitats. Federal officials will evaluate the effects of seven of the pesticides on the frogs.

That’s good news for us all: Since frogs absorb chemicals through their skin, their health is a crucial measure of the health of the environment we all share.

Collette Adkins Giese

Blaine, Minn.

The writer is the Center for Biological Diversity’s senior reptile and amphibian attorney.

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