There's Still a Chance to Save the Mississippi Gopher Frog
By Collette L. Adkins Giese

The Times-Picayune published an article Nov. 20 on Page 1 titled "Mississippi gopher frog could hop into St. Tammany," giving a soapbox to Edward Poitevent, a private landowner complaining that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to designate a small fraction of his land in St. Tammany Parish as critical habitat for the frog.

I support the service's proposal. Mr. Poitevent is simply wrong when he argues that a critical habitat designation would prohibit development of his land. He should embrace the opportunity to help bring the Mississippi gopher frog back to Louisiana. Sadly, the frog is teetering on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 100 adult frogs remaining in its declining population in Southern Mississippi.

Habitat destruction wiped out the frog in Louisiana, but it could make a comeback if steps are taken to reintroduce the frog to restored habitat. We have a chance to save this species, unlike the Ivory-billed woodpecker and other parts of our natural heritage that have been lost forever and cannot be brought back.

Collette L. Adkins Giese
Herpetofauna Staff Attorney
Center for Biological Diversity
Blaine, Minn.

Copyright © 2012 Times-Picayune.

This article originally appeared here.