Читать книгу Afoot and Afield: Portland/Vancouver. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

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Other amphibians also take well to this damp environment. You will encounter several species of frogs, the most common of which are the Pacific treefrog, the western toad, and the red-legged frog. Sadly, frog populations have been declining in recent years. This is a worldwide problem, the reasons for which are not well understood. In our area, probably the leading cause of this decline is the unfortunate introduction, and population explosion, of the bullfrog. This nonnative predator feeds on smaller frogs, as well as baby turtles, birds, and other unfortunate victims.

In this wet climate, reptiles are less common than amphibians. Lizards, for example, are fairly common east of the Cascades, but they are very rare in the area covered by this book. You are likely to see them only on the drier slopes on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Snakes are much more common. In and around Portland there is no need to worry about rattlesnakes, except in the eastern Columbia River Gorge. What you will encounter throughout this area are various species of harmless garter snakes and racers.