Sonoran Desert Toad

“This Sonoran Desert Toad (Incilius alvarius) was photographed on a monsoon night in Arizona. If you look closely, you can still see the legs of an Desert Blonde Tarantula sticking out of its mouth. Despite its classification as a desert, the Sonoran Desert is relatively wet, allowing many unique amphibians species to call this place home. The Sonoran Desert Toad is arguably the most iconic amphibian of the southwest. These large toads can be extremely abundant during the summer monsoon. They are known for their ability to produce the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT in their glands and are often captured in order to harvest this substance for recreational use. However, using the toad to obtain 5-MeO-DMT is both stressful and harmful to the animals, which are already imperiled by anthropogenic climate change and habitat destruction as a result of urban development.” – Nick Kemme