In brief
New research highlights the negative impact of increasing popularity in psychedelic toad secretions on the population of Sonoran Desert toads, threatening their survival through over-trapping and habitat loss.
The Sonoran Desert toad, a seemingly average amphibian with a plump body, striking golden eyes, and warty brown spots, possesses a remarkable defense mechanism: it can secrete a potent psychedelic substance from special skin glands. However, this unique feature, while it aids in self-defense, is now contributing to the species’ decline due to escalating interest in psychedelic drugs. Recent studies presented at the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver reveal alarming trends: trapping and hunting of these toads in Mexico have devastated several populations, with many others experiencing significant declines. Anny Ortiz, a clinical therapeutics specialist at the Usona Institute—a nonprofit devoted to psychedelic medical research—warned that the toad is now at heightened risk of extinction due to increased “widespread toad abuse.” This exploitation aligns with growing habitat destruction and threats from climate change, culminating in a “triple whammy” for the species. The psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT found in Sonoran Desert toad secretions was first chemically identified in 1967. Until recently, the toad’s psychedelic properties were largely ignored by the public. However, interest surged in 2014 when various media sources began reporting on its dried secretions' capacity to produce intense, albeit short-lived, psychoactive effects when smoked. Misleading narratives claiming these practices were part of traditional Indigenous medicine have only compounded the issue, despite a lack of documented evidence to support such claims, according to Ortiz.Now, as awareness about psychedelic substances continues to grow, the scramble to harvest these toads places their populations increasingly in jeopardy. Urgent action is required to protect the Sonoran Desert toad from further decline and potential extinction.
