It's Herpening: Field Season is nearly HERE!
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Keith Lawrence takes a photo of a Columbia spotted frog during a 2025 survey. Photo by Sierra Hastings.
Has this mild winter got you dreaming about days spent outdoors, staring into the shallows of a wetland, contemplating herpetofauna? You're not alone — we too are eagerly anticipating the day when we can get back out to search for the amphibians and reptiles we love...
Fortunately, spring is on the horizon!
We're kicking off the Utah HerpSearch project season on World Frog Day (March 20th) with a virtual training that will cover how volunteers can get involved, our new survey protocol, and our latest species of focus!
We'll also be sharing "save the dates" for our upcoming bioblitzes — opportunities for YOU to join us in the field to survey for herps! Learn more about the upcoming season & register for the training below.
2026 Utah HerpSearch Training
Join Sageland Collaborative, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Utah Tech University for the 2026 Utah HerpSearch virtual training! This training will go over project updates, including our new survey protocol and how to ID our new focus species: the northern leopard frog!
When: Friday, March 20, 2026 (World Frog Day!) 5:30pm-7pm
Where: Virtual, over Zoom
A recording of the webinar will be available on the project page afterwards for those unable to attend live. Volunteers must attend or watch the recording to participate in the project.
2026 Species of Interest
Northern leopard frog. Photo: Caleb Stroh.
Our latest Utah HerpSearch species of interest is the Northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens)! This species, found widely across much of the U.S. and southern Canada, is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need and is ranked as vulnerable in Utah.
We need your support to track populations of these frogs to better understand how they occur across the landscape so that our state partners can prioritize conservation efforts in their wildlife and habitat management plans.
Join us at our upcoming volunteer training to learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference for herpetofauna species like the northern leopard frog, Columbia spotted frog, and western toad.
What's a Herp, Anyway?
Dive into the world of herpetofauna in the latest episode of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resource's WILD podcast with State Native Herpetology Coordinator and Utah HerpSearch partner, Alyssa Hoekstra!
Learn about other Utah herp species on the WILD podcast — Gila monsters, rattlesnakes, and desert tortoises.
Save the Date for IguanaThon 2026!
2025 featured art by Paulina Klabacka
On May 8th and 9th, you can join our partners at Utah Tech University near St. George, Utah to survey for desert iguanas. This annual event brings together scientists, wildlife managers, and the community to assess this rare species.
IguanaThon 2026 is also looking for a featured artist! The featured art will serve as the 2026 logo and t-shirt that participants can purchase. Deadline for submissions is March 31st.
Thank You
We've been working hard with our partners to bring this project together and are so excited to finally share it with you! Thank you for being part of this community that's passionate about conserving Utah's amphibian and reptile species.
Not able to join us in the field this year? Please consider supporting this and other conservation work by donating, sharing on social media or with family and friends, or volunteering your expertise in other capacities on the project.