Crested toad

Crested toad

We are delighted that Marlies Lekeu has taken over the sponsorship of the crested toad (Amietophrynus superciliaris).

Formerly a member of the genus Bufo, this amphibian could easily be mistaken for a frog due to its smooth skin, but it is actually the largest toad in Africa. While scientists used to consider all the representatives spread from Sierra Leone in West Africa to the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be one and the same species, they now describe the "pointed toads" as a species complex that probably consists of three different species. The model for "our godchild" comes from Cameroon and, according to its current name, belongs to the subspecies Amietophrynus superciliaris superciliaris.

The pointed toad owes its German name to its two eyelids, which are drawn upwards in the shape of a zip, giving it a characteristic appearance. Apart from mating and later laying eggs, for which it goes to bodies of water, this typical rainforest inhabitant stays on the forest floor. With its dorsal colouring in shades of brown, yellow and red, it is perfectly camouflaged in the leaf litter. As a result, it is difficult to find in the wild.

In the past, these toads, which are not very common anyway, were caught for the pet trade. This is now officially prohibited: According to the "Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora" (CITES), the species is listed in Appendix 1. It lists the directly endangered species and prohibits any trade in them.