In brief
Recent studies indicate that the population of Sonoran Desert toads is dwindling due to an increase in trapping and the growing popularity of their psychedelic secretions.
The Sonoran Desert toad, visually unremarkable with its plump, green body and vibrant golden eyes, hides a remarkable trait: when threatened, it produces a potent psychedelic compound known as 5-MeO-DMT from specialized glands in its skin. However, this unique defense mechanism has turned into a risk for the toad’s survival due to rising interest in psychoactive substances. A new report presented at the Psychedelic Science conference reveals that trapping has drastically affected the toad's populations in Mexico, threatening several groups with extinction.Anny Ortiz, a clinical therapeutics lead at the Usona Institute in Madison, Wisconsin, highlighted the severe consequences of this trend, linking the toad’s plight to a surge in demand for psychedelics and illicit “toad medicine” practices. Ortiz noted that the unfortunate situation for the toads is exacerbated by habitat loss and other human-induced threats such as climate change, resulting in a “triple whammy” jeopardizing the species. The chemical properties of the Sonoran Desert toad were first documented in 1967; however, the public's fascination has sharply increased since 2014, largely fueled by media reports about the toad's psychoactive secretions being used for euphoric experiences. This newfound publicity has, unfortunately, led to misinformation, falsely claiming that Indigenous tribes used “toad medicine” for centuries – a narrative lacking any substantiation. Ortiz, who studied 5-MeO-DMT for her dissertation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, expressed concern that this surge of interest has put these toads at extreme risk.
