Cute Frog of the Week: Oct. 17, 2011

Cuban long-nosed toads (Bufo longinasus) are hard to come by. They are confined to three disparate areas of Cuba— Pinar del Province on the west end of Cuba, Sierra de Trinidad in the center and Sierra del Guaso in the east end. Nobody has actually seen a Cuban long-nosed toad in Sierra del Guaso, however, since the early 1900s.

Unfortunately, Cuban long-nosed toads have only ever been observed in forests, and always close to streams, placing them directly in the way of Cuba’s clear-cutting of forests, charcoaling, fires and agricultural expansion. They are considered endangered by the IUCN.

Cuban long-nosed toads are found in upland pinewoods and broadleaf forests of moderate moisture.  These toads are terrestrial by day, but researchers believe they move up into the trees after the sun sets, perhaps to escape predators. While the toad here is posing on a rock, males have also been observed calling while floating on the surface of the water of streams!

Photo by Ariel Rodriguez via ARKive.

Every week the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project posts a new photo of a cute frog from anywhere in the world with an interesting, fun and unique story to tell. Be sure to check back every Monday for the latest addition.

Send us your own cute frogs by uploading your photos here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cutefrogoftheweek/