Anton Sorokin

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Flora & Fauna of CA

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A northwestern pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) in a cold water stream in California. This species inhabits a variety of water bodies in its range from permanent streams and rivers to seasonal cattle ponds. Despite its adaptability populations have been declining and the species is considered threatened.

A signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). Sadly a species that shouldn't be present in the waterways of central California - but has permeated the waterways here. It can now be found thriving well outside its native range which just barely dips into the northernmost reaches of California & is centered in Washington & Oregon. Even more sadly is that historically this stream may have been occupied by sooty crayfish (Pacifastacus nigrescens), a crayfish not dissimilar to this that quickly went extinct following the introduction of signal crayfish (this species) in the 1900s, searches in 1959,1977,1980,1981 all failed to turn up the native species - unfortunately, California's only other endemic native crayfish (shasta crayfish) is also endangered in part because of this species intrusion into its range.

An American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) tadpole rests at the bottom of a river in Northern California. These frogs are native to the eastern US and don't belong in the West, but they were introduced decades ago and have spread across California. Unfortunately in areas with bullfrogs native amphibians typically become scarce as the bullfrogs are larger and can eat them, outcompete them for food sources, and harbor amphibian disease.