More than 1 million Houston toad eggs have been released at Bastrop State Park as part of a renewed effort to recover the native species’ population in the region, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Following a 32,000-acre wildfire in Bastrop County in 2011, the Houston toad population declined and eventually disappeared from the state park over a period of five years, according to the state wildlife department. The state agency said the recent release of eggs was done in collaboration with the Houston Zoo, the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Since the fire, two other reintroduction attempts were made, in 2015 and 2019. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department said the egg release earlier this spring was the largest to date.
"This year, the overall program pivoted to releasing eggs in three sites — two in Bastrop County and one in Milam County," Mat Lammers, the Houston toad recovery coordinator for the Houston Zoo, said in a statement. "Each of these sites is managed a little bit differently. Going forward, we can measure the varying success of these populations to determine what environmental factors are helping them along."
According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the eggs were released in batches of approximately 200,000 per week at designated release sites.
Eventually, the eggs turn into tadpoles, and the tadpoles leave the pond and venture out into the surrounding park, according to Zach Turlock, a private lands biologist with the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy.
"It was really remarkable to see how quickly the toadlets [from earlier releases] developed and moved into the surrounding habitat," Turlock said in a statement. "During a light rain, we saw them dispersing away from the pond into the savannah."
The Houston toad's natural habitat has shrunk to the point that it no longer includes the species’ namesake, with the toad last seen in the Houston area in the early 1970s. The Houston toad was also one of the first animals to be added to the endangered species list, having been added a year after the list was created in 1969.
"Houston toads and amphibians in general serve as an indicator species," Lammers said. "They let us know when habitats are starting to hit an ecological tipping point. The Houston toad is endangered in large part due to poor habitat management. ... A well-managed parcel of land that is regularly burned and treated is supportive of deer, turkey, migratory birds, and yes, even the Houston toad."
The release of more than 1 million eggs comes about a year-and-a-half after the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy received a $5 million grant to help reestablish the animal's habitat in the counties surrounding Houston.
The funds are used to find and work with regional landowners whose property meets the environmental requirements for Houston toad reintroduction.
Those who live in Austin, Bastrop, Burleson, Colorado, Lee, Leon, Lavaca, Robertson or Milam counties who are interested in participating can reach out to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for more information.
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