The Detroit Zoo has sent 22,571 tadpoles of an endangered species to be released in wild, making it the best breeding results in the zoo’s history.
Twenty of the frogs were kept to continue breeding at the National Amphibian Conversation Center, located at the zoo. The rest of the frogs were sent to Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
According to its website, the zoo has been working to save the toads since 1995. Since 2008, it has released 47,000 tadpoles into the wild.
“We are thrilled to set a record – and reach a new milestone – by placing more than 20,000 endangered Puerto Rican crested toad tadpoles into the wild this year,” Chief Life Sciences Officer Scott Carter said in a press release.
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the toads are endangered due to habitat loss and other human activity.
The wild population of the toad fluctuates from 1,000 to 3,000. However, more than 167,000 have been released into the wild by different zoos.
The toads are characterized by large eyes and pointy hooked noses. They are about three to four inches long. Female toads are dull brown, and male toads are olive green and gold.
