black toad

The habitat of the black toad is relatively intact, however it is still considered a threatened species because of its isolation and low numbers. Deep Springs College continues a program to care for the wild population of this species, and owns much of the land where its habitat is found. The grazing of cattle has been found to be beneficial for toad habitat, mostly through their trimming of thick grasses and attraction for insects, so the college allows cattle onto the land during the winter when the toads are hibernating.

The black toad (Bufo exsul), also known as the Deep Springs black toad, lives only in scattered oases in the Deep Springs Valley of Inyo County, California. In fact, its scientific name Bufo exsul means "exiled toad," which refers to its species' isolatio