Politics & Government

Environmentalists Say Golf Course Workers Killed Red-Legged Frogs

Groups ask for immediate judgment against San Francisco for the alleged deaths, which they say are proven by photographs.

 

Environmental groups Monday accused the City of San Francisco of illegally moving red-legged frog egg masses and killing frogs at .

Several environmental groups - including the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club and the National Parks Conservation Association - filed a complaint with a U.S. District Court in San Francisco, alleging that city employees moved stranded frog eggs to hide signs that pumping water off the course after winter flooding was damaging the eggs. The complaint asks for an immediate judgment against the city, which owns and operates the course, for the alleged deaths.

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This is just the latest move in a between environmentalists and the City of San Francisco over the golf course. It began in March 2011, when the former group sued the latter over what it called Environmental Species Act violations.

The course is home to the red-legged frog and the San Francisco Garter snake, both of which are protected under the Environmental Species Act.

Find out what's happening in Pacificawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In November 2011, environmentalists asked U.S. Judge Susan Illston against golfing on all or part of the course until the current lawsuit is decided, but she denied the request.

Lisa Wayne, the director of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department natural areas wing, denied these most recent charges, according to SFGate.com.

Check out the complaint and pictures that environmentalists claim prove that egg masses were moved in the gallery above.

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