NWT Canadian Toad (Anaxyrus hemiophrys)
Species at Risk (NWT) Act list: No status
Federal Species at Risk Act list: No status
COSEWIC Assessment: Not assessed
NWT General Status Rank: May be at Risk
The Canadian toad appears to be uncommon in the NWT and is currently known to occur only in the Fort Smith region. This species has declined in abundance in some parts of western Canada in recent years.
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Photo: M. Fournier
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Canadian toads are completely terrestrial except for a brief period in spring when they congregate to breed in ponds and shallow edges of lakes or slow flowing rivers. Unlike frogs which lay their eggs in globular masses, toads lay their eggs in strings (typically two strings produced simultaneously). Their hind feet have hard projections used for digging, which a toad does backwards, using a shuffling motion that allows it to sink into the ground. It may remain with only its head exposed for temporary concealment or continue to dig until it is well under the surface. It hibernates in this manner, digging deeper into the earth as the frost penetrates below the surface. The Canadian toad is probably restricted to areas where it can dig effectively and where the ground freezes only to a relatively shallow depth. |
Identification
Toads are short-legged amphibians, generally thick skinned and rough in appearance. They are covered with warts, and have prominent oval or kidney-shaped parotoid glands over the shoulders. The Canadian toad is generally grey-green or brown. The belly is white to pale yellowish and may be spotted with grey. The voice of the Canadian toad is a short, soft trill, repeated at intervals of about 30 seconds.
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Photo: M. Fournier
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Distribution of the Canadian Toad
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