Canadian Toad (Anaxyrus hemiophrys)

Common Name: Canadian Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus hemiophrys
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad Family
Locations: Canada and the United States
US Locations: Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming
Size: 1.5 – 3.45 inches (3.7-8.3 cm)

The Canadian Toad is more aquatic than most toad species in North America. They can be found in or near prairie wetlands. For the winter, the Canadian Toad can burrow below the frost line to avoid freezing. Also, they overwinter within mima mounds, small earth mounds. These mounds can hold hundreds of toads at a time. Toad party central.

The Canadian Toad breeds from May to July depending on the location. They breed in shallow areas of water such as lakes, ponds, and temporary bodies of water. The male toad calls out from these locations to attract the female toad. Once the female toad arrives, the male toad grasps her from behind in amplexus. Then, the female toad lays her eggs and the male toad fertilizes them. The female toad lays several thousand eggs that hatch in 3 to 12 days. The tadpoles take 6 to 8 weeks to turn into full toads. The parents provide no parental care for their offspring.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assess the Canadian Toad as Least Concern for Extinction. They have a wide range and are common throughout it. There are no major threats to the frog but local populations are threatened by habitat loss.