05/31/2026
I think about this day often during the change in seasons…
Back in July 2021, I was walking by a familiar pond taking some photos when I noticed the water looked almost black.
When I got closer, I realized it wasn’t the water at all - it was hundreds of thousands of tadpoles moving through the shallows!
I stood there in awe for a while just soaking it in. The sheer volume of tadpoles was completely mind blowing and I was surprised to see them in this setting. I have explored the Rockies for decades and have never seen anything like it. The shoreline seemed completely alive.
When I got home that evening and did some research, I came to the conclusion they were likely western toad tadpoles and the location that they were is a popular site for them (which I had no idea at the time).
If you know me you know I love frogs, toads, and many other amphibians so I’ve visited this place around the same time every year since hoping to see them again, but unfortunately have never been able to.
I know their populations can be highly sensitive to habit changes, and diseases so I’m grateful I got to see this when I did!
It’s totally easy to overlook western toads, but I really wanted to share this because they are one of the Canadian Rockies’ only native amphibians, and seeing so many of them in one place felt incredibly special.
If you love the Rockies, show western toads some love too by staying on designated trails, keeping dogs away, and helping protect the waterbodies & wetlands they call home. 🐸🫶✨
