#reigningreptiles

[frogsneedourhelp]

The glorious Cane Toad, Giant Toad and Marine Toad (Rhinella marina or previously Bufo marinus). This infamous species has been busy extending its world-wide distribution (with our help) to a point verging on #WorldDominance. For almost 100 years, humans have been moving this species around the globe from it’s home range in northern South America. Now it’s an invasive species in Australia, Hawaii and South Florida (probably other places too). It’s devastating impact on natural ecosystems has been well documented and even featured in one of my favorite ‘documentaries’ Cane Toads (1985) (Do yourself a favor and see it if you haven’t yet.) Cane Toads are the perfect invaders. A single female can lay up to 40,000 eggs a year! How many amphibians can do that?? (How much easier our job would be if Flatwoods Salamanders could lay that many eggs!) Not only that, but Cane Toad eggs are toxic! No tasty snacks for animals that normally enjoy frog caviar. Cane Toads are toxic in every life stage. Any animals ‘higher’ in the food web than a Cane Toad are immediately killed by trying to eat the animal. Animals on the same trophic level are easily out competed by an animals that has 10s of thousands of offspring a year. To top if off, Cane Toads eat everything (well, anything they can fit in their mouths). Any ecosystem they invade is eventually ‘cut off at the knees’ That said — They really are also quite charming. The animal in this photograph is #Princess - one of our #ConservationAmbassadors at @amphibianfoundation . She helps us carry the #AmphibianConservation message. She came to us from #ReigningReptiles in Buford as a wonderful donation. #CaneToad #GiantToad #Rhinella #Bufo #Toad #Toads #FrogsOfInstagram #ToadsOfInstagram (at The Amphibian Foundation, Inc)

[frogsneedourhelp]

The glorious Colorado River Toad (Sonoran Desert Toad) Incilius alvarius is the most basal of the Incilius group. Formerly most toads, and particularly the toads of the New World, were nested in the genus ‘Bufo’. Several years ago, this group was split into several genera with the majority of North American bufonids placed into the Anaxyrus genus. The Colorado River Toad is one of the exceptions. One of the largest toads, A. alvarius is a magnificent species with several extra-partotoid glands located throughout it’s body. It’s poison is also uncommon in the bufonid world, containing hallucinogenic compounds along with the bufotoxin. For this reason, the species has been over-collected. That in addition to the pressures that all of today’s amphibian communities have to face (climate change, habitat loss, emergent infectious disease, etc …) this species is considered declining throughout much of its range. We are grateful to have a breeding group of these animals to work with (donation courtesy of Reigning Reptiles) — and hope to breed them over the summer. #Incilius #alvarius #Inciliusalvarius #Toad #Toads #Frog #Frogs #FrogsOfInstagram #CaptiveBreeding #ReigningReptiles  (at The Amphibian Foundation, Inc)

[littleloki75]

Work Coffee in this sick #ReigningReptiles @reigningreptiles mug