SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Zoo has released thousands of tadpoles of the critically endangered Puerto Rican crested toad back into their natural habitat.
The zoo recently released more than 5,000 tadpoles in Puerto Rico, according to a press release.
The species is critically endangered with the population fluctuating between 1,000 and 5,000 adult toads in the Guanica National Forest.
The Puerto Rican crested toad, with its long, upturned snout and crest above the eyes, can be difficult to track in the wild because it’s nocturnal and there aren’t very many of them, zoo officials said.
The San Antonio Zoo began breeding Puerto Rican crested toads in 2010 with The Puerto Rican Crested Toad Conservancy (PRCTC) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The PRCTC works to protect and restore the toad’s habitats and creates new ponds for them.
Since 2010, the San Antonio Zoo has released more than 16,000 tadpoles in Puerto Rico.
“Saving Puerto Rican Crested Toads is one of almost 20 research and conservation programs San Antonio Zoo has partnered with to create a global community that loves, engages with, acts for, and protects animals and the places where they live,” said San Antonio Zoo President & CEO Tim Morrow in a press release. “We’re honored to be a part of this initiative. It’s a great testament to this community’s dedication to wildlife protection as well as the depth of our abilities.”
Click here to learn more about the zoo’s conservation efforts.