Western Toad Project

So thank you. For all that you did, and the space you made in your days, weeks, and months for those clumsy-footed, warty little hoppers.

We are already thinking about next year, and are excited to apply what this year taught us. And for that – we are asking for your input!  We have put together a brief survey – for any and all involved in the Toadlet project. Taking 5 minutes to fill this out will help us immensely in planning and preparing for next year’s migration.

https://form.jotform.com/212215839649261

This year’s effort has already had impacts, and discussions are underway with the Village to begin to mitigate the human impacts (trampling, erosion, trail braiding) of folks looking for the “Cumberland Potholes” below the Perseverance Creek crossing on the Davis Lake Main.  Whenever possible we need to remind folks that Perseverance Creek is a toad migration hotspot, fish habitat, drinking water source and a biodiversity corridor that should be handled with care. The phenomenon of over sharing, travel blogs and instagram ‘hotspots’ has highlighted this spot and we have work to do as a community to keep it safe.

Thank you so much, and we hope that you find a way to celebrate these accomplishments, and the role that you played in them. (Maybe do a little hop of your own?)

How to spot a Western Toad

What is the difference between toads and frogs? Well, for starters, all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. Confused? Don’t worry! While it may be easy to get toads and frogs mixed-up, there are a few tell-tail characteristics. Toads have dry, rough and warty skin, and are generally more stocky and ‘clumsy footed’ than frogs. In addition to warts, dry skin, and a clumsy gait, Western Toads have a light line along their mid-back (though it may be lacking on the smaller toadlets). The toadlets are tiny – about 10 mm in length but they sure can hop! Adults grow to 60-120mm in size.

Life Cycle of Western Toads

• “Amphibian” means dual life. These animals live for part of their life in water and part of their life on land. 
• Eggs: Each female can lay more than 10,000 eggs. Eggs look like small black pearls in long strings of jelly.
• Tadpoles: are charcoal or black. Groups of hundreds or thousands gather together in warm, shallow waters.
• Toadlets: Once they have grown legs, tiny toadlets leave the water and disperse by the thousands into the surrounding forest (and sometimes right into our backyards!). This migration is dangerous and some loss of life is expected, due to human impact and animal predation.
• Adults: Adult toads are nocturnal feeders and hibernate over winter in rotting stumps/ logs.  While it takes about 3 years for juveniles to reach sexual maturity, the average lifespan on a western toad remains a bit of a mystery! Most estimate that it is about 10 years.  Males will return to their breeding pond every year, while females may skip years. 

Why are our toads important?

Western toad breeding sites are rare on Vancouver Island. Lakes and wetlands in the Comox Valley provide important habitat, especially for mass egg laying and tadpole development. 

Species of Special Concern

In Canada the Western Toad is listed as a species of Special Concern by COSEWIC and is on Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act. This means that substantial threats have been identified to Western Toad populations, and they may become threatened or endangered unless steps are taken to reduce those risks.

Things like habitat loss, pollution, disease, and climate change all create unique challenges for this toad. However – these are all things that our community can work to improve!

What do you do if you see a toad?

If you see a mass of toadlets in motion, the CCFS wants to know! Tracking our toads and understanding their migration routes helps us to work with trail users to make sure that trails can be shared with local wildlife. Location, and date and time of day provides us with very useful data. Observations can be uploaded to naturalist, or emailed directly to zoe@cumberlandforest.com

Please don’t handle the toads

In addition to being a species of special concern, which means they can only legally be handled with a permit, all amphibians have sensitive skin. Western Toads can absorb oxygen through their skin which means that any residue on our hands  (lotion, sweat, bug-spray, sunscreen etc.) could be absorbed into their bodies (and could be fatal!). 

Western Toads also have poison glands (in large warts behind their eyes), which secrete a milky liquid when the toad is stressed/handled. This will not harm humans, but it does deplete important water reserves for the toad, especially on a hot day!.