Can We Save These Rare Toads From Extinction?
At one time there was only one known Wyoming toad in the wild. Once a frequent sight on the Wyoming plains, the toad had nearly become extinct after a sharp decrease in population in the late 1970s. Habitat loss, climate change, and a fungus are all factors in its decline. The species was listed as endangered in 1984, and declared extinct in the wild not long after. But efforts to raise the animals in captivity have been successful, and a recent survey found 200 toads. It's a positive sign that the toads can sustain themselves in the wilds of Wyoming. DIRECTOR: J.J. Kelley VIDEOGRAPHERS: Ben Hamilton and Josh Thomas SENIOR PRODUCER: Jeff Hertrick EDITOR: Nick Lunn ADDITIONAL FIELD AUDIO: Jeff Rice, Kevin Colver, and The Acoustic Atlas at Montana State University SPECIAL THANKS: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Detroit Zoo, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Kansas City Zoo, National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, Toledo Zoo, Como Zoo, Toronto Zoo, Saratoga National Fish Hatchery, Leadville National Fish Hatchery, and UW Red Buttes Biological Field Station
