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a Wyoming toad rests near a toadstool in shallow water surrounded by sparse green grasses, dried leaves and twigs.
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The Wyoming Toad - Small, Elusive, Lumpy and Rare

If you are lucky enough to hear Wyoming toads in the wild, their calls consist of long rhythmic croaks separated by brief pauses, you might describe their croaking song as: waa-waa-wha-wha-ah-ah-ah-ah ... ... ... waa-waa-wha-wha-ah-ah-ah-ah

This toad looks lumpy, its body is covered with warts and its head has a humped ridge. The skin is various shades of brown, this is perfect for blending in and escaping would-be predators.  At its full size, the Wyoming toad is only two inches long. Female toads grow slightly larger than males, but all Wyoming toads have fused cranial crests (bony ridges on the top of their heads) that differentiate them from other toad species. 

Wyoming toads spend warm months above ground as voracious carnivores of invertebrates and other prey items. Different life stages of toads likely have different diets, but in general, ants, beetles, flies, worms, and other assorted invertebrates, are the bulk of their prey items. Tadpoles have mouthparts suited for scraping surfaces and have been observed feeding on algae.  During colder months, they retreat below ground to hibernate and wait out the winter.  

A Wyoming toad sits in a muddy clearing surrounded by thick green grasses. The sky is cloudy and blue, and water can be seen in the distance peeking between the grass.
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Habitat

Wyoming toads require pockets of warm, shallow water to breed.  Ideally these ponds exist with a mosaic of grass and shrubland habitat containing sparse open areas for foraging and basking that are nearby denser vegetation for shade and protection from predation.  Wyoming toads frequent the edges of lakes and ponds of the shortgrass prairie ecosystem and are rarely found more than 30 ft from water.  

Habitat requirements vary according to different toad life stages and the density of vegetation needed tends to increase with age.  Limited cover and ample sunlight are ideal for small toads while denser vegetation is used more by adult toads at night.  Areas of low stem-density plants allow for free movement of breeding toads and allows light to reach shallow areas where warm water is required for embryo development.  Tadpoles tend to prefer warm water and seek deeper water during the evening in response to the nighttime cooling of the shallows. Rodent burrows found in uplands are also an important component of Wyoming toad habitat, not only for refugia in hot weather, but also for hibernation.  Wyoming toads begin selecting hibernation sites in late summer/early fall, spend the winter below ground, and emerge sometime in the spring to breed, depending on weather conditions. 

An illustration shows a muddy dirty boot crossed out by a red circle, next to a larger illustration showing a brush cleaning a sparkly boot.
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Chytrid Fungus - What is it? What can you do to help?  

What we commonly call Chytrid fungus is a relatively recently discovered fungus that is responsible for amphibian die offs across the world.  The full name for it is Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and it is abbreviated as “Bd”.  Bd is a member of a group of fungi called chytrids, which are usually found underwater growing on dead plant or animal matter.  Bd is the only chytrid fungus known to feed on living vertebrates.  It primarily affects the skin of amphibians, causing the disease known as amphibian chytridiomycosis.  Bd is currently found on every continent where amphibians exist, but nobody is sure where it came from, or how long it has been where it is now.  

Amphibians breathe and take up water through their skin.  Chytridiomycosis interferes with these essential processes. Infected toads may become lethargic, they are often unable to right themselves if turned upside down, and they may jump or swim in circles.  They may rest with their legs outstretched or sit with their rear end raised up. Sometimes their skin appears bloodshot or sloughs off excessively.  They may also sit out in the hot sun when healthy amphibians would seek shelter in shade or water.   

Chytrid fungus can be transported from place to place in water or mud, including on wet or muddy footwear.  You can prevent spreading it by making sure to clean your shoes well and let them dry thoroughly between visits to different places.  This is also true for anything else that will come into contact with water.  To be extra safe, you can brush items clean and then disinfect them with a weak solution of bleach.   Also, do not transport live animals from one place to another.  

History of the Wyoming Toad and the Wyoming Toad Conservation Area 

An illustration shows icons of the different contributing factors to the Wyoming toad's population decline including agricultural processes, spraying insecticides and illness in the Wyoming toad wild population.
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1970s Population Decline

Scientists discovered a major decline in the Wyoming toad population.  Changes in habitat along with the spraying of insecticides to control mosquitoes, changes in agricultural practices, increased predation, and disease (Chytrid Fungus) have been suggested as causes of decline for the Wyoming toad, as well as other amphibian species.   

A brightly colored illustration shows icons of animals representing a variety of different endangered species.
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1980s Endangered Species 

The Wyoming toad is officially listed as an Endangered Species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  

A close-up photo of a Wyoming toad as it floats in shallow water, surrounded by sparse grasses.
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1987 Wild Toads are Found  

Thought to be the last existing in the wild, a population of Wyoming toads is found.  The toads are found on private land that would eventually become Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge.  

A phot of Wyoming toadlets and tadpoles growing at the Saratoga Fish Hatchery. An aerial view shows four tadpoles in shallow water, they have started to develop legs but still have long tails.
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1990s Captive Breeding Program  

Wild populations of the Wyoming toad continue to dwindle, the decision is made to bring the last remaining toads into captivity for breeding.  

A border of the Mortenson Lake National Wildlife refuge is marked by a wire fence and signs. The field beyond the fence consists of green and yellow grasses and the sky is blue above with wispy white clouds.
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1993 Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge 

Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge is established in 1993 under the Endangered Species Act to support the last known population of the Wyoming toad.  

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2000s The Wyoming Toad Recovery Team is Founded 

The recovery team includes experts from the Association of Zoos, Wyoming Game and Fish, the University of Wyoming, private landowners, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and others.   

A photo of recently released adult Wyoming toads in the mud. They are surrounded by muddy footprints and puddles. The sky and surrounding vegetation are shown in the reflective surfaces of the puddles.
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2016 First Adult Toad Release  

The release occurred at Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge and other appropriate toad habitats in the Laramie Basin.  Tadpole releases have been occurring, with minimal success, since the 1980s.  

A photo from a high aerial perspective of the Wyoming toad 2023 release.
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2016 The Wyoming Toad Land Protection Plan is Finalized 

As a result of many years of outreach, stakeholder input and dedicated work the Wyoming toad Land Protection Plan (Plan) is finalized.  The Plan describes the priorities for acquiring up to 43,200 acres mostly through voluntary conservation easements, including up to a maximum of 10,000 acres in fee title. Finalization of the Plan allowed the US Fish and Wildlife Service to begin to pursue processes to set aside land with appropriate habitat for the benefit of the Wyoming toad with a goal of advancing recovery efforts.  

A Wyoming toad that is about to be released into the wild is held by a gloved hand.
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 2020 A Banner Year   

Because of a banner year of captive toad production 18,000 Wyoming toads are released into the wild. Toads of all life stages are released including adult toads, toadlets and tadpoles. 

A photo of the early morning twilight hours just before sunrise during a Wyoming toad release in 2023. There is a wire fence surrounded by shallow water, and purple clouds in the sky are mirrored in the still water.
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2023 The Wyoming Toad Conservation Area is Established 

Through a land acquisition, the Wyoming toad Conservation Area is established.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service purchased the Bath Ranch, using the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.  The Bath Ranch was purchased from The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit focused on land and water protection.  The Service had been working with The Conservation Fund, The City of Laramie, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the Laramie Rivers Conservation District for several years to reach this key milestone.     

An illustration shows the stages of growth of a toad from egg to tadpole to toadlet to adult.
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Today the Wyoming Toad Population is Improving 

Several captive breeding programs are still in effect, and some reproduction in the wild has been observed. Breeding programs exist in several locations, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service Saratoga National Fish Hatchery.   

Water management, infrastructure repairs, grazing and prescribed fire are some of the tools that may be utilized to accomplish management goals.  Adaptive management is the practice of using different tools for management, observing what works well and making adjustments going forward.  Grazing of local cattle has a proven history as an important management tool to improve habitat for the Wyoming toad.  Prescribed burning may also be used to help create open areas for the cold-blooded toads to be able to soak up the sun and the open areas help to encourage plant and invertebrate growth in the high elevation basin.  

A photo of an adult Wyoming toad surrounded by thick tall green grasses.
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The Future is Bright for the Wyoming Toad 

Through the continued passionate and dedicated research and work of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and many partners, we hope that the Wyoming toad will once again thrive throughout the Laramie Plains of Wyoming.  

“It takes a village to recover a toad.” - Douglas Keinath USFWS, former recovery coordinator

The US Fish and Wildlife Service will continue working with partners to seek opportunities for developing conservation easements within the Wyoming toad Conservation Area.  A conservation easement conservation easement
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or qualified conservation organization that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on a property in the future. Conservation easements aim to protect habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife by limiting residential, industrial or commercial development. Contracts may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland and establishment of game farms. Easement land remains in private ownership.

Learn more about conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a private landowner and a government agency. The land remains in private ownership, and the voluntary legal agreement protects the land’s conservation value by restricting the type and amount of development that may take place. Essentially, conservation easements protect habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife by limiting development, and may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, and drainage of wetlands.  For more information on conservation easements, check out What We Do.