Amargosa Toad
CR

Amargosa Toad

Anaxyrus nelsoni

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amargosa_toad

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Anaxyrus nelsoni faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. Water diversions and groundwater pumping have significantly altered the hydrology of breeding sites, while introduced predatory fish and bullfrogs compete with and prey upon tadpoles. Climate change exacerbates these pressures by increasing drought frequency and reducing available breeding pools.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits desert springs, seeps, and associated wetlands in the Amargosa River drainage of Nevada and California. It requires permanent or semi-permanent water sources with emergent vegetation for breeding and adjacent upland areas for foraging and overwintering.

Conservation measures underway

Site/area managementHabitat & natural process restorationSpecies recoveryLegislation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Amargosa Toad classified as Critically Endangered?
Amargosa Toad is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Anaxyrus nelsoni faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. Water diversions and groundwater pumping have significantly altered the hydrology of breeding sites, while introduced predatory fish and bullfrogs compete with and prey upon tadpoles. Climate change exacerbates these pressures by increasing drought frequency and reducing available breeding pools.
Where does Amargosa Toad live?
Amargosa Toad occurs in United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Amargosa Toad?
The main threats to Amargosa Toad are 2.3, 4.1, 7.2, and 8.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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