Conservation can be a matter of life and death for species that depend on a very specific habitat to survive. The Wyoming toad is one of those special animals — it only lives in the beautiful Laramie Basin in southern Wyoming.

By the early 1980s, the Wyoming toad’s numbers had plummeted due to the draining of wetlands, agricultural expansion and habitat degradation. In 1984, the toad was placed on the endangered species list, and by 1985 it was thought to be extinct. Amazingly, though, a few survivors were discovered and brought into zoos and fish hatcheries for breeding. Roughly 1,000 of these special toads — one of the most endangered amphibians in North America — are now released into the wild at the annual Wyoming Toad Release.

To make the toad’s recovery a real success story, its habitat in the only place it can survive must be protected. That’s where The Conservation Fund steps in.

Securing Critical Toad Habitat

We were able to secure the 8,200-acre Bath Ranch to aid the City of Laramie with its water rights and conserve over 3,500 acres of critical Wyoming toad habitat.  In 2023 and 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased the land from TCF with funds from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund to officially establish the Wyoming Toad Conservation Area. The new area is the result of years of partner-driven work, including with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the city of Laramie, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the Laramie Rivers Conservation District.

While the toad is the star, the area is also important for the conservation of other species, including elk, pronghorn, brown trout, waterfowl and migratory birds. People will benefit as well, with public access to the Laramie River and opportunities for outdoor recreation, such as hiking, fishing, hunting and wildlife observation.

The successful creation of the Wyoming Toad Conservation Area highlights the importance of habitat protection in reversing species decline. It stands as a testament to how dedicated conservation efforts, combined with the support of local and national partners, can lead to the recovery of even the most critically endangered species.

Learn More

• News: “New national wildlife refuges in Tennessee, Wyoming created to protect toads, bats, salamanders“
• Press release: “New National Wildlife Refuges in Wyoming and Tennessee“