GUTTURAL TOAD Programme
HELP SAVE THE ENDANGERED WESTERN LEOPARD TOAD
The City of Cape Town, in partnership with CapeNature, the Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology and the Natural Resources Management Program embarked on a project to protect our indigenous toads and we need your help to identify and report guttural toads.
The Western Leopard Toad is found only in Cape Town and nowhere else on earth.
What’s all the fuss about?
Guttural toads pose a serious threat to the survival of our indigenous frog and toad species, especially the Endangered Western Leopard Toad as they compete for habitat and resources.
The introduced Guttural Toad is an invasive alien species which was first discovered in Constantia, but has been discovered in other areas such as Bishops Court. Their range is has expanded since the first introduction and the City of Cape Town is working hard on reducing its range.
It is essential to capture every guttural toad sighted, because a single female can produce 20,000 eggs per season. The tips below can assist you to easily distinguish the Guttural Toad from the Western Leopard Toad and help us to look for this species.
Spot the difference
Guttural Toad
Sound: Deep, guttural, pulsed snore. Resembles bounces of a dropped ping-pong ball. Usually calls during breeding season, between September and February.
Colour: Light to dark brown with pairs of darker brown patches, smaller scattered spots sometimes occur between the larger patches, sometimes with a brown line down the back. Pale prominent cross on head formed by two sets of dark brown patches.
Dirty white/yellowish underside – Red infusion on hind leg
Western Leopard Toad
Sound: Long drawn-out snore on overcast days. Usually calls during the breeding season in spring, usually August to October.
Colour: Striking symmetrical dark red-brown markings, edged in black & yellow. Usually with a yellow line down the back. Dark patch Between the eyes, not forming a cross.
Whitish underside. No red infusion on hind leg
To report guttural toads or arrange access to your property:
Contact Details
Tel: 021 702 2884 / Mobile: 071 115 6845 / 079 382 5858
Email: gutturaltoads@ncc-group.co.za
