Western Cape Leopard Toad

The Leopard Toad was once a rarity here in Cape Town. Urbanization, pollution and domestic animals had decimated this species' numbers, and they were placed on the endangered species list. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many different conservation organizations, the Leopard Toads now thrive.

We have a little pond in our garden, surrounded by ferns and lilies. The toads love to camp out around here and lay eggs. I plan to create a safe egg-laying area for the toads - currently, many of their eggs are eaten by my goldfish.

They're very friendly, and if you're gentle, they will be quite calm when you handle them. Wash your hands thoroughly if you do touch them, though - their skin emits a substance that can create hallucinations. I have accidentally ingested some Leopard Toad, um, emission. It was, erm, interesting, to say the least, especially since it was the middle of the night and Princess the cat had also swallowed some toad sweat. Don't try this at home, folks. The hangover's not worth it.

I'll be posting more Leopard Toad pics in my next post.