Rainbow Toad Resurfaces: Big Pic
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July 15, 2011 -- One of the world's most elusive amphibians has made a reappearance in Malaysia's Sarawak State.
The endangered spindly-legged Sambas Stream Toad, or Bornean Rainbow Toad as it's also called known was found in the remote Gunung Penrissen mountains of Western Sarawak, a natural boundary between Malaysia's Sarawak State and Indonesia's Kalimantan Barat Province on the island of Borneo.
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The toad (Ansonia latidisca) was last seen 87 years ago in 1924. Prior to this recent sighting, only illustrations of the mysterious, long-legged toad existed, after collection by European explorers in the 1920s.
Because of this, scientists believed that chances of finding the species alive were nearly impossible and it was listed as one of the "World's Top 10 Most Wanted Lost Frogs."
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"Thrilling discoveries like this beautiful toad, and the critical importance of amphibians to healthy ecosystems, are what fuel us to keep searching for lost species," said Dr. Indraneil Das of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. "They remind us that nature still holds precious secrets that we are still uncovering...Their benefits to people should not be underestimated."
That's the concept idea behind the "Search for Lost Frogs" campaign, which was launched a year ago by Conservation International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature's SSC Amphibian Specialist Group.
Owing to the intense demand for the brightly-colored Rainbow Toad, his exact location is being kept a secret.
Photo credit: Indraneil Das
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