Love me, love my warts

This cute little Western Toad, Bufo boreas, was found at Bow Valley Provincial Park on Thursday. I always used to think that Toads were huge, so was surprised to learn that this little one was a Toad. Thanks, Doug, for patiently holding it - something that I could never do myself :) - while I took some photos. When he was released (the Toad that is, not Doug!), we were able to watch him swim a short way in the clear water.

"Adult Western Toads have stocky bodies with short legs, and tend to walk rather than hop. Their thick skin appears dry and bumpy and can range in colour from pale green to grey, dark brown, and red. They typically have pale-coloured bellies mottled with black, and a pale coloured stripe down their backs. Their beautiful gold-flecked eyes have distinctive horizontal oval pupils. Behind each eye is a prominent oblong or kidney-shaped swelling called a parotoid gland.

Adults range from 5.5 to 14.5 centimetres in body length, excluding the hind legs. Males are generally smaller than females and have dark pads on their thumbs that help them cling to the female during mating. Their skin is usually less rough and blotched than the females' skin." From www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/frogwatch.