The Western Leopard Toad is an endangered species (according to the IUCN) found mainly in sandy coastal lowlands in two disjunct areas of the Western Cape of South Africa: one close to Cape Town and another in the Overberg region. In those areas the toads live in gardens or in coastal lowland flats, but also in the adjoining valleys and mountain slopes. Every year the toads migrate toward local water bodies from the surrounding areas to breed, and this usually occurs in August after rain. Well, the toads are on the March at the moment!

Their biology is quite interesting. In addition to the annual migration to water bodies, apparently they can live for up to 14 years and reach a size of 14cm in length! That’s quite a toad! They also eat snails and small insects.

My wife and I consider it fortunate that a few resident toads live in our garden, where we often hear them croaking away. However, at the moment their croaks are being drowned out by the chorus of the migrants!