Located in: Western North America (from Alaska to Baja California).
Animal Type: Subspecies of Western Toad
Why they need our Help
Boreal toads are a subspecies of the western toad, found along the western stretches of North America from Alaska to Baja California. Boreal toads are native to Utah and found in high elevation wetland areas.
Populations are declining in Utah and across their entire range over the last 20 years with the primary factors being habitat disturbance, such as livestock grazing, recreational activities and development, and the fungal disease chytrid, which affects amphibians globally.
Boreal Toad Conservation Center
In 2015 we opened our Boreal Toad Conservation Center (BTCC). This conservation area on Zoo grounds houses boreal toads collected as eggs from the Paunsaugunt Plateau. This area will soon be visible by zoo guests at the new Norma W. Matheson Education Animal Center within the new Wild Utah exhibit, opening spring 2024. Utah populations of Boreal Toads are geographically isolated from others, and have evolved unique genetics. This distinct population is in rapid decline due to habitat alteration and chytrid fungus.
Today, there are 20 toads at Utah’s Hogle Zoo’s BTCC that are chytrid free. We will continue to protect and breed these toads, augmenting the Pausaugunt population by reintroducing their offspring to their original habitat.
This work is done in partnership with:
Wahweap Warm Water Fish Hatchery
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Denver Zoo
We will continue to be a part of the recovery efforts to re-establish a self-sustaining population on the Paunsaugunt Plateau.
In August 2021 UHZ released our first 64 toads back onto the Paunsaugunt from our Boreal Toad Conservation Center.
Outreach and Education
Utah’s Hogle Zoo has a team of full time staff in our Informal Science Education Enhancement program who travel statewide visiting every single 2nd grade classroom in Utah as part of the iSEE program. Annually, this team reaches between 10,000 and 14,000 children, educating them about Utah habitats with the help of our ambassador animals. Boreal toads are some of the many animals that travel with this team.
How Can I Help?
Boreal Toad Monitoring
Surveying the mountain lakes and streams in which boreal toads are found can be time consuming. For this reason the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) and Forest Service need assistance to successfully monitor and survey boreal toads every year.
Utah’s Hogle Zoo has a full time, dedicated staff member who leads these surveys. Data collected is shared with the Forest Service and the UDWR. These monitoring efforts are also part of our citizen science program.
Click below to see our community science monitoring calendar and sign up to go out with our zoo conservation team.