While most visitors come to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory to see tigers, giraffes, polar bears, and orangutans, some of our most important conservation work happens quietly behind the scenes.
This summer, Como Zoo celebrated another major milestone in the recovery of one of North America’s most endangered amphibians. Nearly 3,000 Wyoming toad tadpoles, raised by Como’s animal care staff, were carefully packed into oxygenated containers and shipped by FedEx to Laramie, Wyoming, where they will be released into protected habitat as part of an ongoing effort to restore the species.
It’s a small amphibian making a big comeback.
A Species Once Lost
Native only to the Laramie Basin of Wyoming, the Wyoming toad experienced a catastrophic population decline during the late twentieth century. By the 1980s, the species had nearly disappeared, and despite intensive searches, only a handful of individuals remained.
Today, the Wyoming toad is classified as extinct in the wild. Every Wyoming toad alive today exists because of carefully managed conservation breeding programs led by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and accredited zoological institutions across the country.
The Wyoming toad is also recognized as an SAFE species, a collaborative conservation initiative led by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that focuses the expertise and resources of accredited zoos and aquariums on saving the world’s most vulnerable wildlife.
Como’s Role in Saving the Species
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is proud to be one of the select institutions participating in the Wyoming Toad recovery program.
Behind secure biosecurity measures in a specialized containment room beneath the Visitor Center, animal care staff maintain adult breeding toads in carefully controlled conditions that mimic their natural environment. Every aspect of their care, from temperature and humidity to seasonal cycles, is designed to encourage successful breeding and healthy offspring.
This year’s breeding season resulted in nearly 3,000 tadpoles that will now begin the next stage of their journey in Wyoming.
In the future, Como hopes to relocate the Wyoming toad program to the Aquatics Building, allowing guests to learn more about this remarkable conservation success story firsthand.
More Than Just Raising Tadpoles
For Zookeeper Allison Pizel, the work doesn’t end once the tadpoles leave Como.
Later this August, Allison will travel to Laramie, Wyoming, to assist with field surveys alongside conservation partners working to monitor Wyoming toad populations and evaluate ongoing recovery efforts. The annual gathering also provides an opportunity for participating institutions to share research, husbandry techniques, and conservation strategies that continue improving the species’ chances for survival.
Conservation is about far more than breeding animals. It also requires collaboration, science, field research, and a long-term commitment from dedicated professionals across the country.
Conservation Happens Every Day
Although visitors may never see the Wyoming toads during a visit to Como, their story represents the heart of the zoo’s mission.
From caring for endangered species and participating in international breeding programs to supporting field conservation efforts, Como is helping ensure that some of the world’s rarest animals have a future.
“Much of our most important conservation work happens behind the scenes,” says Erica Prosser, Director of Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. “Projects like the Wyoming toad recovery effort demonstrate how accredited zoos can work together to make a real difference for species on the brink of extinction. We’re incredibly proud of Allison and our animal care team for the dedication and expertise they bring to this important work.”
Nearly 3,000 tiny tadpoles may not seem like much, but for one of North America’s rarest amphibians, they represent hope.
And that’s something worth celebrating.
