What happens if my private property is designated critical habitat for the California red-legged frog?
A. The designation of critical habitat on privately-owned land does not mean the government wants to acquire or control the land. Activities on private lands that do not require Federal permits or funding are not affected by a critical habitat designation. Critical habitat does not require landowners to carry out any special management actions or restrict the use of their land. However, the ESA prohibits any individual from engaging in unauthorized activities that will actually harm listed wildlife, including the California red-legged frog. That prohibition is in effect for any federally listed wildlife, with or without regards to the designation of critical habitat. Q. How does the special rule work? A. Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act provides authority for the Service to adopt special rules for threatened species that would relax specific prohibitions against killing or injuring the species. To promote conservation efforts of the California red-legged frog, the Service est
