The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium has reached an exciting conservation milestone:
six Western toads, raised by our Freshwater team, have been successfully released into the wild in partnership with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). These toads were hatched and raised here at the Aquarium, growing from tiny tadpoles into healthy adults in just over a year.
The release took place in Southern Utah, where our toads are expected to strengthen and diversify the existing population there. Western toads have recently experienced steep declines due to habitat loss and disease, particularly from the chytrid fungus, which has devastated amphibian populations worldwide. Our work with the DWR is an important step toward reversing this trend.
Before the release, each toad received a tiny pit tag beneath the skin, marked with an individual number. These tags allow us to identify and monitor the toads on future surveys. The release site was chosen specifically because it already supports a population of Western toads, giving ours the best chance to integrate and thrive. DWR staff have returned to the site since our release and reported seeing several of our toads adapting well in their new environment.
This release reflects our mission to inspire people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems while actively contributing to conservation. We plan to continue our Western toad breeding program and are exploring opportunities to expand to additional species. We are deeply grateful to our partners at the DWR for making this conservation success possible. Our Aquarium guests can meet the parents of the released toads on habitat in our Discover Utah hall. Be sure to stop by on your next visit and see this remarkable species!