The Leap to Recover the Western Spadefoot Toad

Walk through Crystal Cove State Park after a big rain, and you may hear a chorus of croaks coming from the temporary pools of water.

It’s likely the sound of one of Orange County’s rarest amphibians, the Western spadefoot toad. Small, just two to three inches long, and shy, these little burrowers get their name from the “spades” on their back feet—hard, shovel-like pads that help them dig into cool, moist soil. They spend most of their lives underground, waiting for the perfect conditions to emerge and breed. Over the last few decades, those conditions, however, have become infrequent and unpredictable, leading to a sharp decline in the toad’s Southern California population.

Why does this matter? Much like the California coastal gnatcatcher, the Western spadefoot is an indicator species. Its existence keeps local insect populations in check, and the toads are prey for other animals, so that the web of wildlife continues to hum. The health of the toad signifies the health of the local habitat. And the Nature Reserve of Orange County is one of the places this special toad calls home.

In 2016, a group of local land managers, scientists, and wildlife experts was called to action. Their analysis of the Western spadefoot’s breeding sites on the Reserve showed that the toads’ once-reliable ponds had been reduced to little more than rain-filled road ruts. Those ruts have since been transformed into seasonal ponds surrounded by healthy coastal sage scrub. They hold water for 30 to 80 days each year, enough to give these toads a much-needed boost. Today, 12 of these restored ponds exist at Crysal Cove State Park and other areas of the Nature Reserve of Orange County, ensuring that this population, and the ecosystem it supports, have a real chance of recovery.