Brandon, Dakota, and Dema (and Tweeters??):

Northern Leopard frogs were collected in the vicinity of Fort Walla
Walla in the 1860's. I have looked at the specimens which are in the
National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. They were also
collected by an Army captain name Kennerly near in the late 1800's at
a place called Clark's Fork which is in Idaho but not too far upstream
from the Washington border (Pend Oreille River drainage). This information
tells me that Northern Leopard frogs are native to Washington. Later
information, primarily the late 1950's work of Dr. Dean Metter, found
Northern Leopard Frogs still present in good numbers in the Pend Oreille
River drainage and near Walla Walla as well as other places (near the Tri-
Cities, Spectacle Lake in Okanogan County). Looking at the range of the
Northern Leopard Frog outside of Washington, it makes sense to me that all
of these pre-1970 collections came from native populations. It's a species
whose native range barely enters Washington along our eastern border and
our northern border (Okanogan County).

The only Northern Leopard Frogs alive in Washington today that I believe are
the result of releases of animals from elsewhere are near the campus at
Pullman. The ones in the Crab Creek drainage, I believe, are probably derived
from native stock.

The activities of the United States Fisheries Commission in the 1800's
(transporting warmwater fish by rail-car and throwing them into all kinds
of lakes and ponds in Washington) could have included some Northern Leopard
Frog tadpoles accidentally loaded with the fish. However, I don't know
enough about this operation to be sure that this is a reasonable theory.
It's one that needs more study (if only there was more time...).

By the way, Northern Leopard Frogs, other than those in upper Crab Creek
drainage and near Pullman, appear to be gone from their former habitats.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife