It is that time of year again at Como Park Zoo and
Conservatory where our collection of critically endangered Wyoming Toads go
into an artificial Hibernation for the season. Four pairs of adults
toads get to slumber in a mixture of sand and mulch in a state of the art
Hibernaculum in a bio-secure behind the scenes room of Como Zoo. These eight
toads will be hibernated for approximately 50 days in a gradually cooled state
to help simulate natural pre-breeding conditions. Once the toads are awoken
from hibernation by gradually increasing the temperature, they will be
introduced in pairs to breed for the season. If successful, each individual
pair can lay up to 7,000 eggs at one time. These eggs, eventually hatching into
tadpoles, will be shipped out to Laramie , Wyoming and back into the wild! This
is just one of the amazing Conservation Projects Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
are involved with annually.
Since 2010, Como Zoo has participated in
the Wyoming Toad Recovery Program and Annual Species Survival Plan
Meeting and field work. I not only pair the toads for
breeding in-house for Como Zoo; but also travel to Laramie, WY annually. I assist with field surveys of the reintroduction of the Wyoming Toad at
multiple sites at Mortenson Lake and surrounding lakes. Data secured will
assist program leaders in gauging the success or failure of current practices
allowing them to make adjustment to the program as needed. This annual surveying
of this site and is a continuation of the efforts to establish a
self-sustaining wild population of Bufo baxteri in North America. Como Zoo has
released over 8,700 tadpoles and toadlets at these safe harbors since 2010.
-Zookeeper Bree
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