Conservation Efforts Underway at Indiana’s Angel Mounds to Restore Endangered Frog Species
Earlier this year, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources began a project to reestablish an endangered frog species at Angel Mounds State Historic Site.
Established in 1938, Angel Mounds Is Home to Conservation Efforts
Located in Evansville, Indiana, Angel Mounds State Historic Site was first established in 1938 as a way to preserve the history of the native people who once called the land home before it was abandoned, according to the National Parks Services.
Located on the banks of the Ohio River near Evansville, IN, the Angel Mounds State Historic Site boasts a unique combination of nature, history, and archeological wonders sure to entertain all visitors. From 1000-1450 A.D., the area was the site of a Middle Mississippian culture town where the cultivation and storage of corn allowed a permanent community to persist. The town’s inhabitants left by 1450 A.D. for reasons unknown, although it was possibly due to nutrient-depleted soils or lack of wild game. - NPS.gov
Indiana DNR Hopes to Reestablished a Dwindling Population
Now, decades later, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is hoping to reestablish a dwindling population of crawfish frogs. Crawfish frogs are a bit on what some might call the chonky side, with DNR describing them as having a "large and chunky body."
What Do Crawfish Frogs Look Like
While both male and female crawfish frogs are covered in dark spots with lighter colored borders, and white bellies, the males have a distinct physiological difference. The males have two individual vocal sacs located one on each side of its jaw.
What Do Crawfish Frogs Eat and Where Do They Live?
Crawfish frogs eat a diet of beetles, spiders, earthworms, millipedes, and ants, and live in crawfish burrows found in "moist meadows, prairies, and grassy fields." While found in several parts of Indiana near and around the Ohio River Valley, they are considered to be state endangered.
Crawfish frogs historically occurred in western Indiana from Benton County south to the Ohio River. The species has declined along the northern and eastern edge of its range, with current populations remaining in the southwestern quarter of the state, with very few populations south of the White River. An isolated but large population occurs in southeast Indiana. Crawfish frogs are state endangered. - Indiana DNR
Conservations Underway for Crawfish Frogs
In the spring of 2024, DNR removed crawfish frog egg masses harvested from Greene County and transplanted those eggs to Angel Mounds. The reestablishment of the species at Angel Mounds is expected to take several years.
READ MORE: Help Indiana DNR Track Wild Turkey Population
DNR Says This Is a Multi-Year Conservation Project
The current brood of tadpoles resulting from the egg transfer will eventually leave the pond and make their homes inside area crawfish burrows. They are expected to reach sexual maturity in 2026. It's then that DNR says the frogs will return the historic site to mate. To supplement the population, DNR will continue to transplant additional eggs each spring.
Funding For The Conservations Efforts Come From Your Donations
In a press release, Indiana DNR says the project to conserve crawfish frogs is made possible by funds from the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. Learn more about the fund here and donate here.
[Source: Indiana DNR]
Animals You Might Encounter in The Wild in Indiana
Gallery Credit: Kat Mykals