50: Green Toad

I write to you from Arapahoe, Ute, and Cheyenne land. I am interested in learning about the different animals that live in the place where I was born. Before we start with today’s animal, I want to emphasize that biological classification as understood by western society has its roots in racism, sexism, and transphobia – here’s a good explainer about why.

This was going to be about the Green Frog (Northern Green Frog, Bronze Frog, Banjo Frog), which is the only herptile species listed as prohibited in Colorado due to their harm they can do to native ecosystems. However, they also have not been seen in Colorado so we’re not going to worry about them. Instead we’re going to learn about the Green Toad (Anaxyrus debilis/Bufo debilis), which is very different.

These toads are pale green in color with black speckles on their broad backs. They live in the southwestern USA and northern Mexico, and are secretive to humans, mostly seen immediately after periods of rainfall, when they emerge to breed. Given the area they live in is known for being very dry, this means humans see them infrequently. If you want to spot one in Colorado, head to the canyons and grasslands of the extreme southeastern edge of the state, especially in the Comanche Grassland (where I was when I saw the Apatosaurus footprints I wrote about a while ago).

The sound they make is a flat buzzing noise.