Bigger red-legged frog habitat poses problems for ranchers

Merced County is one of 28 that has been affected by expanding the habitat for the red-legged frog.
The frog is found along creeks and drainages the length of California. It has been an endangered species since 1996.
And now the United States Fish and Wildlife Service wants to quadruple the land area in California designated as critical habitat for the frog. The proposed land covers more than 1.8 million acres, up from 450,000.
Because of the loss of their habitat, the frogs like to hang out in artificially created stock-watering ponds.
So now ranchers and wildlife lovers need to get together and decide how to keep that medium-sized frog from going the way of other endangered species.
Saving the red-legged frog isn’t going to be easy. For the Fish and Wildlife folks, or for the ranchers.
Or for the frogs.