Another Species at Risk Project

This year's species at risk project began after we recieved the 2+ inches of rain. In the evenings we could hear this really loud croaking coming from the backyard, then the front yard. I recorded the sound and took it into the Fish & Wildlife office in Medicine Hat and had Joel, the Species at Risk Biologist listen to it, he said it was a Spade-foot toad.
Last year when we found tadpoles in the back pond we figured they were Spade-foots but after they hatched they ended up being Northern Leopard frogs. So this year we searched the yard but were unable to find any frogs or toads, instead we collected some tadpoles and had them on the back deck.
Today I was digging in the front yard in order to transplant some cacti when I heard this really weird noise coming from the hole I was digging in, it sounded like a spade grating against a rock, when I looked closer I noticed a frog jumping around!

This is what I found, a Spade-foot toad!

Erinn & Blair had to hold him before we buried him again.

A closeup of "Teddy the toad", Erinn had to name him!

After consulting with Joel, the Biologist, we dug a hole in the yard...

... and put "Teddy" in it, I then covered him with dirt and we watered him.

Spade-foots are known to burrow up to 6 feet into the dirt and remain there for years, emerging after lots of rain has fallen and then laying their eggs in a nearby puddle, which just happens to be in our front yard!

There are several hundred tadpoles in the pond and I'm adding water to it right now since this recent sun and warm weather is drying it out fast!