A Leap of Faith

Originally published March 12, 2018

OPB's Think Out Loud recently spotlighted one of our most beloved projects, the Harborton Frog Shuttle, in an interview with biologist Sue Beilke.

Every year, hundreds of Northern red-legged frogs migrate from Forest Park to nearby wetlands to lay their eggs. After passersby noticed hundreds of frogs getting killed while crossing Highway 30, they put together a group of volunteers to apprehend the frogs and shuttle them to safety.

This population of red-legged frogs, an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species, was discovered in 2013 when a local resident left home on a rainy, unseasonably warm evening in January and found Harborton Road covered with frogs, many of which had already been squished. A group of volunteers met with representatives of Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services, and Forest Park Conservancy to determine a plan of action. Biologists recommended catching the frogs by hand and shuttling them to the wetland.