Survey for Boreal Toads this Summer!
Boreal toad being measured on a 2022 survey trip. Photo by Sierra Hastings
Does this prolonged winter have you dreaming of summer hiking? Kick start your summer adventures by signing up to survey for boreal toads with us! Whether you're an experienced herper (lover of amphibians and reptiles) or you're new to all things scaly and slimy, we need you on this project!
Attend our upcoming project training to learn how to join our growing team of volunteers across Utah who care about toad conservation.
2023 Volunteer Training
What: You're invited to join us for our Boreal Toad Project training!
When: Saturday, April 22, 2023, 9:30am MT
Where: The Natural History Museum of Utah
Sign-ups for our Community Science training day close on April 10th, so if you haven't had a chance to sign up yet, please take a moment to do so now!
If you're unable to attend the in-person training, fret not! We will have a recorded training available on our project page following the event.
2022 Season Highlights
Boreal toad being documented during a 2022 survey trip. Photo by Sierra Hastings
2022 was a banner year for participation on the Boreal Toad Project. We have had more community scientists join on field trips, visited more boreal toad breeding sites, and detected more individual toads than past field seasons, with a steady increase since the project started in 2016.
Here's what our 60+ volunteers accomplished last season:
2,500+ survey hours
190+ surveys completed
500+ toads detected
We were also excited to observe locations where all different life stages of boreal were detected—including eggs, tadpoles, toadlets, and resident adults—indicating that populations are not only persisting but have been successfully breeding.
Our partners at Utah Hogle Zoo do critical work on species assurance colony care, and this year, it was confirmed that their efforts have been successful. Their captively reared toadlets were released into native habitats, survived the winter, and appear to be thriving!
We’re thrilled to further our connection to communities through our storytelling and volunteer engagement efforts, including a documentary video, a virtual option for the training, and identification aids.
Thank You
This work would not be possible without the dedication of our incredible volunteers. Thank you!
If you're unable to join us in the field this year, there are other ways you can support this project! Please consider supporting this and other conservation work through donating, sharing on social media, or passing this email along to your family and friends.
Don't hesitate to email us at borealtoad@sagelandcollaborative.org with any questions.