Puerto Rican Crested Toad

“The Puerto Rican Crested Toad (Peltophryne lemur), also known as Sapo Concho, is native to Puerto Rico and was historically found on a few other islands of the Puerto Rican Bank. It is listed as Endangered by the IUCN and Threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The species was first described in 1868 but was thought to be extinct for much of the first 100 years after its discovery, as only a few individuals were found. Today, its numbers are still declining, although we remain hopeful for its recovery due to ongoing work by the recovery group.

I’ve been involved with the Puerto Rican Crested Toad recovery program for just over 15 years and currently serve as the Vice-Coordinator and Studbook Keeper. This program evolved from an AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) SSP (Species Survival Plan) into its own NGO, the Puerto Rican Crested Toad Conservancy. We work with excellent partners in Puerto Rico, including the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as Ciudadanos del Karso, Para la Naturaleza, and many other individuals and organizations.

As part of the recovery efforts, we conduct surveys in Puerto Rico, where both natural and reintroduced populations occur. Our reintroduction efforts rely on approximately 16 zoos that breed the toads annually and send tadpoles back to Puerto Rico for release. They are released at several protected sites that include manmade release ponds as well as breeding ponds. None of the reintroductions occur within the natural population.

The toads once occurred in both northern and southern Puerto Rico but now persist in only one small area in the southwest. This population is barely hanging on, having been impacted by habitat degradation and saltwater inundation of the last remaining breeding ponds. In addition to releasing offspring to create new populations, the recovery program has also constructed new ponds for the natural population to use as existing ponds become unsuitable for tadpole survival.

I’ve been fortunate to visit the island many times, as we travel there twice each year for surveys, site visits, and meetings with partners. During these trips, I try to capture images of the toads, as well as other amazing wildlife in Puerto Rico. While time doesn’t always allow for this, photographs of rare and elusive species can be valuable for educational purposes. I try to share any images I capture with the scientific and education communities, as this can be as valuable as the other conservation work we are doing.

There has been much more attention on Sapo Concho over the past year, as awareness efforts by Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican music star, have brought widespread attention to the species. We’re excited to see such appreciation for the toad and hope this interest continues. Anyone interested in the species and its recovery efforts can visit www.crestedtoad.org for more information.” – Dustin Smith