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Conservation Snapshots

Puerto Rican Crested Toad

(Peltophryne lemur)

Puerto Rican Crested Toad
© Matthew S. Vaughan 2006 / Courtesy of the Fort Worth Zoo

The Puerto Rican crested toad (Peltophryne lemur) is the only toad native to Puerto Rico. Once common across the island, this species was driven to near extinction by human activities. In 1982, six wild toads were captured, brought into zoos and aquariums, and managed under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA's) first amphibian Species Survival Plan® (SSP).

Working through the Puerto Rican Crested Toad SSP, 22 AZA zoos and aquariums are breeding this species and reintroducing it back to its natural habitat. Several AZA SSP participants, such as the Toronto Zoo, are also working with local conservation groups in Puerto Rico to restore the habitat that the toads need to survive.

In 2005 the wild population jumped dramatically for the first time in 20 years from approximately 300 individuals to nearly 1,000, thanks to the SSP's reintroduction efforts. Since that time the population has again declined, and zoo researchers and their partners are monitoring these changes to see whether they are natural fluctuations or part of a worrisome trend.

Want to know more about amphibian conservation?

There are many amphibian species now threatened with extinction and it is only through the efforts of zoos and aquariums that they may have a chance for survival. Find out more by checking out the AZA Amphibian Conservation Program and see how you can help your local zoo or aquarium save the toads – and frogs and newts and salamanders!

Biological Information
Appearance 2.5 to 4.5 inches long from snout to vent, with brown to yellow-brown skin. Marbled, golden eyes. Densely covered with warts and blackish spines
Range Main island of Puerto Rico
Habitat Low lying areas with rocky crevices or well-drained soil.
Diet: Unknown. Most likely snails, beetles, and other bugs.
Breeding: Breeds in seasonal pools formed during the rainy season, with up to two years between breedings based on rainfall patterns.

 

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