Kihansi Spray Toads Return to Tanzania

25 Aug, 2010

A critically endangered species of amphibian native to Tanzania has made a tentative comeback in the country. 100 Kihansi spray toads have now been returned from the United States to Tanzania where they are being housed and monitored in a bio-secure facility at the University of Dar es Salaam. It is hoped that in a few years they can be returned to Kihansi, although it is unclear whether they will still be able to survive in the wild.

Kihansi spray toads were discovered by biologists in 1996 during an environmental impact assessment prior to the construction of Kihansi hydropower dam 450 km southwest of Dar es Salaam, a project financed by the World Bank and European development agencies. The tiny animal, the size of a