Can We Save These Rare Toads From Extinction? | National Geographic

the why we toad is found only in the

the why we toad is found only in the Laramie plains of Wyoming it’s found

Laramie plains of Wyoming it’s found

Laramie plains of Wyoming it’s found nowhere else in the world and it has the

nowhere else in the world and it has the

nowhere else in the world and it has the maybe unfortunate distinction of being

maybe unfortunate distinction of being

maybe unfortunate distinction of being one of the most endangered amphibians in

one of the most endangered amphibians in

one of the most endangered amphibians in North America and I think the most

North America and I think the most

North America and I think the most endangered amphibian in the United

endangered amphibian in the United

endangered amphibian in the United States in 2010 there was one toad that

States in 2010 there was one toad that

States in 2010 there was one toad that we found in the wild twice that year so

we found in the wild twice that year so

we found in the wild twice that year so we’re pretty sure there was one wild

we’re pretty sure there was one wild

we’re pretty sure there was one wild toad and then last year I believe they

toad and then last year I believe they

toad and then last year I believe they found 200 in one survey of which they do

found 200 in one survey of which they do

found 200 in one survey of which they do have three over the summer so e0n and

have three over the summer so e0n and

have three over the summer so e0n and there he is right now and so there is a

there he is right now and so there is a

there he is right now and so there is a lot of effort that we’re putting into to

lot of effort that we’re putting into to

lot of effort that we’re putting into to keeping this toad on the landscape dumb

keeping this toad on the landscape dumb

keeping this toad on the landscape dumb because it declines so far so fast right

because it declines so far so fast right

because it declines so far so fast right before our eyes

before our eyes

before our eyes after the population decline in the

after the population decline in the

after the population decline in the 1970s we got down to only about ten wild

1970s we got down to only about ten wild

1970s we got down to only about ten wild individuals which is when we took them

individuals which is when we took them

individuals which is when we took them into captive breeding the recovery plan

into captive breeding the recovery plan

into captive breeding the recovery plan for the Wyoming toad has been in effect

for the Wyoming toad has been in effect

for the Wyoming toad has been in effect since the mid 80s we’ve got captive

since the mid 80s we’ve got captive

since the mid 80s we’ve got captive breeding we attempt to maintain genetic

breeding we attempt to maintain genetic

breeding we attempt to maintain genetic diversity we’ve been doing a lot of

diversity we’ve been doing a lot of

diversity we’ve been doing a lot of scientific research out here to try and

scientific research out here to try and

scientific research out here to try and determine what habitat they need tried

determine what habitat they need tried

determine what habitat they need tried to improve the diet of the captive

to improve the diet of the captive

to improve the diet of the captive breeding individuals

because it declined before we really

because it declined before we really knew much about it what it needed trying

knew much about it what it needed trying

knew much about it what it needed trying to understand what was needed for

to understand what was needed for

to understand what was needed for recovery is limiting the biggest thing

recovery is limiting the biggest thing

recovery is limiting the biggest thing that’s hitting the toad right now that

that’s hitting the toad right now that

that’s hitting the toad right now that we’re really trying to understand is a

we’re really trying to understand is a

we’re really trying to understand is a fungal disease called Katrina o mycosis

fungal disease called Katrina o mycosis

fungal disease called Katrina o mycosis which is actually devastating amphibian

which is actually devastating amphibian

which is actually devastating amphibian populations around the world you have to

populations around the world you have to

populations around the world you have to adapt you have to be flexible you have

adapt you have to be flexible you have

adapt you have to be flexible you have to learn to change your strategies and

to learn to change your strategies and

to learn to change your strategies and so that’s a big part of our monitoring

so that’s a big part of our monitoring

so that’s a big part of our monitoring and recovery plan right now is trying to

and recovery plan right now is trying to

and recovery plan right now is trying to understand if there’s ways to battle

understand if there’s ways to battle

understand if there’s ways to battle Kitteridge which unfortunately is a

Kitteridge which unfortunately is a

Kitteridge which unfortunately is a brand new branch of science we’re

brand new branch of science we’re

brand new branch of science we’re learning so much reintroductions are

learning so much reintroductions are

learning so much reintroductions are often misunderstood as far as a

often misunderstood as far as a

often misunderstood as far as a conservation technique many people think

conservation technique many people think

conservation technique many people think it’s very easy to reintroduce an animal

it’s very easy to reintroduce an animal

it’s very easy to reintroduce an animal that you simply take a captive bred

that you simply take a captive bred

that you simply take a captive bred animal put it back out into the wild and

animal put it back out into the wild and

animal put it back out into the wild and then it will thrive and flourish and

then it will thrive and flourish and

then it will thrive and flourish and reproduce oftentimes it’s much more

reproduce oftentimes it’s much more

reproduce oftentimes it’s much more difficult than that it’s extremely

difficult than that it’s extremely

difficult than that it’s extremely complicated

complicated

complicated one of our main objectives of course is

one of our main objectives of course is

one of our main objectives of course is to prepare them for being in a wild hour

to prepare them for being in a wild hour

to prepare them for being in a wild hour 900 toadlets for one feeding per day

900 toadlets for one feeding per day

900 toadlets for one feeding per day would go through 27,000 crickets per

would go through 27,000 crickets per

would go through 27,000 crickets per week and we feed them usually twice a

week and we feed them usually twice a

week and we feed them usually twice a day most every day giving them as much

day most every day giving them as much

day most every day giving them as much possible diversity of food is good and

possible diversity of food is good and

possible diversity of food is good and for several reasons because for one it

for several reasons because for one it

for several reasons because for one it develops a bigger search image so

develops a bigger search image so

develops a bigger search image so basically anything that moves they’ll

basically anything that moves they’ll

basically anything that moves they’ll try to eat versus if only if it looks

try to eat versus if only if it looks

try to eat versus if only if it looks like a cricket they’ll try to eat it

for the soft releases we keep them in a

for the soft releases we keep them in a one-and-a-half by one-and-a-half meter

one-and-a-half by one-and-a-half meter

one-and-a-half by one-and-a-half meter outdoor enclosure we try to make it as

outdoor enclosure we try to make it as

outdoor enclosure we try to make it as nice as possible we want the transition

nice as possible we want the transition

nice as possible we want the transition into the wild as easy and stress-free as

into the wild as easy and stress-free as

into the wild as easy and stress-free as possible and it’s filled up with some

possible and it’s filled up with some

possible and it’s filled up with some microhabitat sights a water bowl there’s

microhabitat sights a water bowl there’s

microhabitat sights a water bowl there’s a nice gradient of dry to wet they get

a nice gradient of dry to wet they get

a nice gradient of dry to wet they get lots of dirt they can burrow in thick

lots of dirt they can burrow in thick

lots of dirt they can burrow in thick foliage to hide in and this is very

foliage to hide in and this is very

foliage to hide in and this is very different than the captive environment

different than the captive environment

different than the captive environment which they were raised people don’t

which they were raised people don’t

which they were raised people don’t understand okay you know the world is

understand okay you know the world is

understand okay you know the world is changing and the toad didn’t cut it and

changing and the toad didn’t cut it and

changing and the toad didn’t cut it and you know why are we working so hard to

you know why are we working so hard to

you know why are we working so hard to save it and spending so much money

save it and spending so much money

save it and spending so much money harder the problem is that humans are

harder the problem is that humans are

harder the problem is that humans are changing the landscape and I think that

changing the landscape and I think that

changing the landscape and I think that we have a responsibility to try and

we have a responsibility to try and

we have a responsibility to try and protect those that we harm through our

protect those that we harm through our

protect those that we harm through our activities but also you know back to

activities but also you know back to

activities but also you know back to just biodiversity is important it keeps

just biodiversity is important it keeps

just biodiversity is important it keeps us healthy so we should have an invested

us healthy so we should have an invested

us healthy so we should have an invested interest in the animals around us we

interest in the animals around us we

interest in the animals around us we have eliminated the immediate risk of

have eliminated the immediate risk of

have eliminated the immediate risk of extinction and now we have a vibrant

extinction and now we have a vibrant

extinction and now we have a vibrant captive population now and we’re trying

captive population now and we’re trying

captive population now and we’re trying to turn that captive population into a

to turn that captive population into a

to turn that captive population into a vibrant wild population