Common Name:
Great Basin Spadefoot
Scientific Name:
Spea intermontana
Unique Qualities:
Adult spadefoots are 4 to 6cm long and are grey or olive green in colour with light-coloured stripes. In addition to short limbs and a plump body, the spadefoot also has a small, black "spade" on the first toe of each hind foot to allow it to burrow into soil.
Can be Seen:
Spadefoot toads live in the dry interior of south-central British Columbia. They are also found in the northwestern United States.
Likes to Hang Out:
Spadefoot habitat is dry grasslands and open woodlands near ponds. They dig their own burrows or use burrows of other animals to hibernate for the winter. In April, spadefoots gather at ponds to lay hundreds of eggs.
Likes to Eat:
Great basin spadefoots forage at night for earthworms and insects, especially ants, beetles, and grasshoppers. They are especially active when it's rainy and damp.
Status:
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has designated this toad as vulnerable. Threats from people include the building of new houses and farms in spadefoot habitat.
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