July 18, 2023 |
Photo – Wyoming Toad – Courtesy cmzoo.org (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo)
An endangered species of frog exclusive to the Laramie area in Wyoming and thought to be extinct is fighting its way back thanks to state biologists.
The Wyoming toad was common through the early-1970s. By 1985, though, the palm-sized frogs were believed to be extinct. Two years later, a small population was rediscovered.
The road back from near-extinction has been a long one. In 2001 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appointed the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to the Wyoming Toad Recovery Team. The team also has representatives from the University of Wyoming, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Laramie Rivers Conservation District, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, private landowners and ranchers, USFWS Wyoming Field Office, National Fish Hatchery System, Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge in Colorado and representatives from other organizations.
The team recently released 800 Wyoming toads at four sites near Laramie.
The Saratoga National Fish Hatchery north of town played a role in bringing the toad back from the brink of extinction.
The fish hatchery in Saratoga is part of the Wyoming Toad Recovery Team. So is the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both facilities have had the space to captive-rear the toads until they could be released into the wild as one-year olds.
Biologists with the team said wild toads typically take 2 to 4 years to reach breeding size. But a good portion of the 1-year-old toads released are capable of breeding upon release thanks to their controlled environment and consistent food supply after being reared in captivity.
The release of the 800 toads in June marked the eighth year of releasing adult toads in addition to tadpoles.
Private landowners have been essential to recovering the Wyoming toad. Three of this year’s release sites are privately owned and have Safe Harbor Agreements where the recovery team can release the toads.
