As part of efforts to save the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog, scientists from the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research raised eggs and tadpoles for release back to their native habitat near Idyllwild, California. In collaboration with partners including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Fish and Game, researchers released eggs and tadpoles into a stream in the San Jacinto Mountains Reserve in 2010. By hatching tadpoles first, or “headstarting” them, the hope is to increase their likelihood of survival. In addition, 18 tadpoles were enclosed in a cage in the stream for 3 months until they were larger. “These experiments will help us to determine the most successful way to re-populate Southern California creeks with the highly endangered mountain yellow-legged frog,” said Frank Santana, research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, seen here with one of the young frogs—hopefully on its way to full adulthood and doing its part to save its species.