Report: Light Shed On Rare Toads In South County RI

WESTERLY, RI — The eastern spadefoot toad is an endangered species in Rhode Island, with small known populations located in South County.

But researchers recently found a new breeding colony in Westerly using the age-old technique of spotlighting — that is, shining a light at night and looking for the bright reflection of animals' eyes.

The Providence Journal has a great story about how spotlighting led to new insights into the rare toad in the Ocean State.

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Anne Devan-Song learned the spotlighting technique in her native Singapore. She deployed it when she came to the University of Rhode Island for a master’s degree. Working with URI ecologist Nancy Karrake, Devan-Song wore a headlight and found many spadefoot toads in Virginia. The discovery was unexpected, because the burrowing toads were thought to be far more elusive and secretive.

Back in Rhode Island, Devan-Song teamed up with state herpetologist Scott Buchanan of the Department of Environmental Management.

"Over 10 nights last summer, they detected 42 toads in Westerly and Charlestown, almost equal to the total number of sightings in Rhode Island in the previous 70 years," ProJo reporter Alex Kuffner wrote.

Officials said the toad is still exceedingly rare and needs to be protected. Habitat efforts are underway in Richmond. Devan-Song, now a Ph.D. student at the University of Oregon, recently published her findings in the Journal of Herpetology.

Read more at The Providence Journal