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Toad at Lake Elmenteita, Kenya Bufo gutturalis |
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I saw these toads at night only, and took these pictures with a flash.
A small creek meandered across the grass at this camp, periodically
widening into small ponds with papyrus and other reedy plants. A long
dry spell had been broken with some rain a day or two back, and
two frog species were calling up a storm: this toad and a
treefrog.
The toad's call was a low-pitched, monotone, throaty croak.
I asked the camp staff naturalist about the frogs in the ponds and he said there were two kinds, little "acacia frogs" and big "savannah frogs". I presumed he meant the toads were the big ones, as I did not see or hear any third species. I could find neither "Acacia Frog" nor "Savannah Frog" (nor "Savannah Toad") on the web or in my herps common/scientific names book. These toads were basic toad size, probably between 3 and 4 inches long. Lake Elmenteita is in the Great Rift Valley, very close to the larger and more famous Lake Nakuru. In 2006, a guide to Amphibians of East Africa by Alan Channing and Kim M. Howell was published. I used this guide to identify this toad as Bufo gutturalis. Please send me mail if you have any further information about these toads. | ||||
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