No, it's not Jurassic Park with amphibians, just careful field work. The Kandyan dwarf toad was discovered in 1872, but it hasn't been seen for over a century. But as announced in a just-published scientific paper, in 2009 it was rediscovered in a stream in Sri Lanka.
The researcher cautions that the toad is probably still highly endangered. They only saw four, and amphibians these days are all under pressure due to climate change and disease. On the bright side, they won't be bothered by people much, at least: one reason they haven't been seen because it's so hard to get to the site, with bad weather and harsh terrain. So they can probably enjoy their new celebrity in privacy.
-Wombat (No Relation)
This toad looks like he was engineered by Willy Wonka. Must...resist...urge...to...nibble...
ReplyDeleteHe looks like he just woke up! Look at those sleepy eyes!
ReplyDeleteAlways nice to have some good conservation news for a change...
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