The National Park Service warns people to stop licking this toad

Updated: 10:57 AM EST Nov 7, 2022

As tasty as it might look, you should refrain from licking the Sonoran desert toad, the National Park Service has warned.On Tuesday, the NPS used Facebook to warn passersby to use caution around the Sonoran desert toad, also known as the Colorado river toad.The amphibian is one of the largest toads found in North America, measuring up to 7 inches, according to the Facebook post. The toad's call is a distinctive "low-pitched toot," says the NPS.But the toads, found across the American southwest, also boast another unique feature: They "have prominent parotid glands that secrete a potent toxin," according to the NPS. The parotid glands are located just behind the toad's eyes.These toxins can make humans sick if they touch the toad or put one in their mouth.So the service recommends people who encounter the toad "please refrain from licking."The toad's toxins are particularly dangerous for other animals. The toxins emitted by one Sonoran desert toad may be enough to kill a fully grown dog, according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.But among humans, the toxins have been exploited towards other ends. When smoked, the toxins are a powerful psychedelic, according to the Oakland Zoo, also accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.Smoking the Sonoran desert toad's secretions causes euphoria and strong auditory hallucinations, says the Oakland Zoo.Possessing the toad's poison, known as bufotenin, is illegal in California, according to the zoo.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Over the holiday weekend, the Alaska National Guard carried out two rescues in inclement weather, pulling a pilot, a passenger, and 12 mountaineers from snowy mountainsides.

On Saturday, May 29, crews were notified of a call for help from a pilot and passenger who crashed on Mount Hawkins in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The guard was called to help because inclement weather had stopped National Park Service crews from reaching the aircraft.

Rescue attempts continued through the night and day over the weekend, with "seven aircraft flying more than 74 hours and 18 sorties through inclement weather," the guard said in a release about the rescue.

Then, around 2 a.m. local time on Monday, May 31, a crew spotted the survivors using night vision goggles. The pilot and passenger were hoisted up and taken to a hospital in Anchorage.

Then, on June 1, a group of 12 mountaineers was rescued from the Klutlan Glacier area near Mount Bona after spending four days in the wild. Bad weather had delayed efforts to pick them up or drop off supplies.

Officials say two of the mountaineers were experiencing high-altitude sickness and were taken to a hospital in Anchorage, a third person had minor frostbite injuries.

The 12 were part of a group of eight travelers and four guides making their way through the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

A hiker died in California’s Sequoia National Park on Memorial Day after officials say he fell about 500 feet from a mountain ridge.

The National Park Service (NPS) says the 56-year-old man from San Jose was hiking with two other people when he fell from the summit ridge of Mount Russell, which is on the eastern boundary of the park.

One of the man’s hiking partners, a 45-year-old woman from Milpitas, fell at the same time, but she was able to stop herself about 30 feet down, according to NPS.

Officials say the third hiker was able to use a satellite device to declare an emergency and then call 911 from his cell phone.

Because the park’s rescue team was already responding to an unconscious person, NPS says a helicopter from Yosemite National Park responded to the hikers.

The team rescued the injured woman from a ledge and transported her to a hospital in Bishop and she was later transported to a Reno hospital, where she underwent surgery.

The body of the man who died in the fall was retrieved Tuesday and transferred to a funeral home.

Over the holiday weekend, NPS says the parks responded to eight separate search and rescue incidents. Officials expect it to be an extraordinarily busy summer in the parks, so they’re urging visitors to prepare carefully for trips and understand that they may need to be self-sufficient in the event of an emergency.

“There is never any guarantee that rescuers will be able to reach you quickly. Understand your own limits, take care of the people in your party, and always be prepared to turn back,” wrote NPS in a news release.

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — Crews in California say they found a giant sequoia tree that appeared to be still smoldering from a wildfire in Sequoia National Park last year.

The National Park Service (NPS) says its scientists and fire crews were surveying the effects from the 2020 Castle Fire in the park when they spotted the still-smoking tree.

The smoldering tree demonstrates how dry the park is, according to Leif Mathiesen, assistant fire management officer for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

“With the low amount of snowfall and rain this year, there may be additional discoveries as spring transitions into summer,” said Mathiesen in a NPS statement.

NPS says there’s no current threats to life or property, and fire managers are prepared to take action if conditions warrant.

The burning tree far from any fire lines and is away from any trails, located in the Board Camp Grove. However, it may be still visible from the Ladybug Trail, which leaves eastbound from the South Fork Campground at the southern end of the park.

Firefighters and park rangers want to remind the public the importance of staying on trails, being observant, having a plan, and letting someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. It’s also important to let that someone know that you’ve returned.