Blomberg's toad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blomberg's toad |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Bufo blombergi Myers and Funkhouser, 1951 |
The Blomberg's toad (Rhaebo blombergi) is a very big toad. People also call it the Colombian giant toad. It belongs to the Bufonidae family, which includes many types of toads.
You can find this toad in the wet rainforests of western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. It lives in areas between 200 and 650 meters (about 650 to 2,100 feet) above sea level. In Colombia, it lives in places like Chocó and Valle del Cauca. In Ecuador, it's found in areas such as Carchi and Esmeraldas. In 1963, some toads were seen in Florida, USA. They likely escaped from pet owners, but they did not start living there permanently.
Contents
What's in a Name?
How the Blomberg's Toad Got Its Name
The scientific name for this toad, Rhaebo blombergi, honors a Swedish explorer. His name was Rolf Blomberg. He was the person who first collected these toads for scientists to study.
Meet the Giant Toad
Size and Appearance of Blomberg's Toad
The Blomberg's toad is one of the largest toads in the world. Male toads are usually about 15 to 17 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) long. Female toads are even bigger! They can grow to be 17 to 25 centimeters (7 to 10 inches) long. This measurement is from their snout (nose) to their vent (the opening where waste leaves the body).
Life of a Blomberg's Toad
How Blomberg's Toads Live and Grow
Female Blomberg's toads can lay many eggs. In captivity, they have laid between 15,000 and 80,000 tiny eggs. Each egg is only about 1 to 2 millimeters (0.04 to 0.08 inches) wide.
These toads can live for a long time. In zoos or special care, they usually live for about ten years. The oldest Blomberg's toad ever recorded lived for 28 years!
Where They Live and How We Protect Them
Blomberg's Toad Habitat and Conservation Efforts
Blomberg's toads live in thick, lowland tropical rainforests. They like places with lots of trees and moisture. For breeding, they lay their eggs in pools of water. These pools can be temporary, meaning they dry up sometimes, or permanent.
Even though you can find many of these toads in some areas, they are considered "near threatened". This means they might become endangered in the future. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) keeps track of this.
The main reasons they are at risk are:
- Habitat loss: Their rainforest homes are being destroyed.
- Pollution: Water and land pollution can harm them.
- Pet trade: Some people collect these toads to sell as pets.
Protecting their rainforest homes is very important to help these giant toads survive.
See also
In Spanish: Sapo mamboré para niños
