Facts about Wyoming Toads

1. 07

   Tadpoles of this critically endangered species develop in shallow alkaline ponds where salinity levels must remain within specific ranges for successful metamorphosis into toadlets.

   Wyoming ToadsMay 14sharereproductionhabitatdevelopment
2. 06

   Bufo hemiophrys occupies sagebrush wetlands at elevations between 7,000 and 8,000 feet in the Laramie Basin of southeastern Wyoming.

   Wyoming ToadsMay 14sharehabitatgeographymeasurement
3. 05

   Wyoming toads produce toxic skin secretions containing alkaloid compounds that serve as their primary defense mechanism against predators in their natural habitat.

   Wyoming ToadsMay 14sharebiologydefensechemistry
4. 04

   Breeding Wyoming toads requires careful hormone injections to induce spawning, since captive populations rarely reproduce naturally without human intervention.

   Wyoming ToadsMay 14sharereproductioncaptivebreedingconservation
5. 03

   Adult Wyoming toads measure between 1.5 and 2.5 inches long, making them among North America's smallest toad species.

   Wyoming ToadsMay 14sharebiologymeasurementmorphology
6. 02

   Fewer than 50 Wyoming toads exist in the wild today, with most populations maintained through intensive captive breeding programs at facilities like the Laramie Project.

   Wyoming ToadsMay 14shareconservationbiologyendangered
7. 01

   The Wyoming toad was rediscovered in 1987 after being presumed extinct for nearly 50 years, surviving only in a single Wyoming pond.

   Wyoming ToadsMay 14sharebiologyconservationgeography