A group of herpetologists and naturalists spent six years and over 1,000 survey hours investigating the reptile and amphibian distributions of Columbia County, Oregon. They found 27 species, six of which were officially documented for the first time. 

The final paper includes photos and detailed maps for every species aligned with the county's ecogeography and compared to what can be assumed of their historic distributions. \~100 literature references explain the trends in the species, including which ones are being extirpated from certain regions and why. 

Five particular sites are highlighted as having the greatest conservation importance for the county - two canyon systems, one river slough, and two oak-meadow complexes.



[Article about the project in Columbia County Spotlight](https://columbiacountyspotlight.com/2025/11/20/what-reptiles-live-in-columbia-county-these-researchers-published-the-first-ever-study/)

[Published paper in Northwestern Naturalist](https://bioone.org/journals/northwestern-naturalist/volume-105/issue-3/NWN25-13/THE-RESILIENT-REMNANT-IN-A-HUMAN-ALTERED-LANDSCAPE--AMPHIBIANS/10.1898/NWN25-13.short)

[Free link for the published paper in ResearchGate](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395422836_THE_RESILIENT_REMNANT_IN_A_HUMAN-ALTERED_LANDSCAPE_AMPHIBIANS_AND_REPTILES_OF_COLUMBIA_COUNTY_OREGON)

Study maps the range of every reptile and amphibian in Columbia County