How decades of conservation work is saving the Puerto Rican crested toad
Native to Puerto Rico and found nowhere else in the world, the Puerto Rican crested toad once played a steady role in the island’s ecosystems. Due to habitat loss, invasive species, and disease, populations reached near extinction. By the late 20th century, it had vanished from much of its historic range. What remained was a fragile population and a narrow window to act.
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium joined the Puerto Rican Crested Toad Conservancy in 1998, committing to a recovery effort built on collaboration and long-term care. In 2003, the Zoo began releasing toads into their natural environment. Since then, the Amphibian Conservation Area has released more than 170,000 amphibians, including more than 112,000 Puerto Rican crested toads, each one contributing to the critical work of rebuilding the wild population.
Inside the Amphibian Conservation Area, conservation is daily work. Zoo team members manage breeding programs, monitor health and development, and adapt techniques as science evolves. This work reflects a balance of innovation and care, where progress comes from showing up every day and getting the details right.
The story extends well beyond Omaha. Zoo teams travel to Puerto Rico to support releases in carefully selected habitats, coordinating efforts to align with seasonal conditions that give the toads the strongest chance of survival. Recovery depends on timing, environment, and persistence, the cumulation of years of work and collaboration.
This ongoing effort is now being shared with a national audience through an upcoming episode of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, highlighting the people and processes involved in species recovery and what conservation looks like when it is sustained over decades.
Sometimes conservation looks like a lab, a temperature controlled environment, or a release site in Puerto Rico. And sometimes, it looks like a story shared with millions, offering a closer look at what it takes to save a species.
The episode of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom airs nationally on NBC on Saturday, January 31 and digitally on NBC.com and Peacock.