Houston Toad
Anaxyrus houstonensis
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_toad
Overview
The Houston toad, formerly Bufo houstonensis, is an endangered species of amphibian that is endemic to Texas in the United States. This toad was discovered in the late 1940s and named in 1953. It was among the first amphibians added to the United States List of Endangered Native Fish and Wildlife and is currently protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as an endangered species.
The Houston toad was placed as "endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species from 1986 to 2022, and has worsened to "critically endangered" since then, with fewer than 250 mature individuals believed to remain in the wild as of 2021. Their kind is threatened every day as they continue to suffer from a loss of habitat and extreme drought. Their typical life expectancy is at least 3 years but it may exceed this number.
The Houston toad faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive urban development throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area, which has eliminated over 75% of its historical breeding habitat. Prolonged droughts and altered precipitation patterns have reduced the ephemeral pools essential for successful reproduction, while increased salinity from road salt and urban runoff has made remaining water bodies unsuitable for tadpole development. Fire suppression has allowed woody vegetation to encroach on the open sandy areas where adults burrow, further fragmenting the remaining suitable habitat.
Habitat
The Houston toad inhabits sandy soils in coastal prairie and pine-oak woodlands of southeastern Texas, requiring ephemeral pools for breeding and well-drained sandy areas for burrowing. Adults spend most of their time underground in self-excavated burrows, emerging primarily during warm, humid nights following rainfall to feed and reproduce.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in BUFONIDAE
Threatened in United States
Frequently asked questions
Why is Houston Toad classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Houston Toad live?
What are the main threats to Houston Toad?
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