June 2023 - 41
Efforts continue to recover the Wyoming toad. The last known wild population of this species is in Albany County. (Photo by Mindy Mead)
I went to Teton County to experience the
life of a herpetology technician, one of many
to assist with the years of continued research
on the boreal toad, also known as the Western
toad. That experience is what led to my fascination
with other toads, most notably one
that holds the title of the most endangered
amphibian in North America - and it can
only be found in the Cowboy State.
The Wyoming toad (Anaxyrus baxteri), also
called Baxter's toad, is a warty, yes, potato-like
amphibian. In hues of murky-green with a buff,
cream underside, this charismatic toad is distinguished
from other toads by the shape of the
two parallel ridges sitting vertically between the
eyes. It is between half-an-inch to 2.5 inches
long and spends several months of the year
hibernating in a small, cozy chamber beneath
the frost line. The hibernaculum protects the
Wyoming toad from harsh Wyoming winters,
freezing weather and hungry predators. Only
when daytime temperatures reach 70 degrees
in May to June will the Wyoming toad emerge
from its snug hibernaculum to breed in nearby
warm and shallow water.
However, there are a lot of issues that have
led to a population decline of the Wyoming
toad such as disease, chytrid fungal infections
and changes to water quality. The last known
wild population of the Wyoming toad is federally
protected within the Mortenson Lake
National Wildlife Refuge in Albany County.
Thought to be extinct in 1985-87, a small
population was discovered in 1987 in the
refuge, but its numbers are still struggling. In
2001, the Wyoming Toad Recovery Team was
formed. The team consists of members from
the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the
University of Wyoming, Association of Zoos
and Aquariums, Laramie Rivers Conservation
District, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database,
private landowners and ranchers, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, National Fish Hatchery
System, Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
in Colorado and representatives from other
organizations. These groups and individuals
work together to recommend management
and recovery plans for the Wyoming toad.
The last known wild
population of the
Wyoming toad is
federally protected
within the Mortenson
Lake National Wildlife
Refuge in Albany County.
Wyoming Wildlife | 41
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/mortenson-lake
June 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2023
June 2023 - 1
June 2023 - 2
June 2023 - 3
June 2023 - 4
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