African Common Toad: where and when to see them

The African common toad is a widespread African amphibian found in the Nile region, including Egypt and Sudan. It belongs to the true toad family, Bufonidae, and was formerly known as Bufo regularis. Its sturdy build, warty skin and prominent glands behind the eyes give it a typical toad appearance. Although adults spend much of their time on land, they need freshwater habitats for breeding. Its tolerance of disturbed environments allows it to live around farms, gardens and settlements as well as in natural habitats.

Size

Adults are typically about 6–13 cm long, measured from snout to vent; females generally grow larger than males.

Weight

Weight varies with size, sex and breeding condition; a reliable species-wide adult range is not well established.

Lifespan

Lifespan in the wild is poorly documented.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN)

African common toads are mainly active at night, when temperatures are lower and the risk of drying out is reduced. During the day, they shelter beneath stones, vegetation or debris, or in other cool, protected places. They usually move by walking or making short hops rather than long leaps. Rain and humid conditions can bring more individuals out to forage and breed. Males gather at suitable water bodies and call to attract females. During mating, the male clasps the female behind her forelimbs, and she releases long strings of eggs into the water. The eggs hatch into aquatic tadpoles, which eventually metamorphose into small, land-dwelling toads. When threatened, adults may inflate their bodies and release defensive skin secretions.

• Its older scientific name, Bufo regularis, still appears in many wildlife references.
• Females lay eggs in strings rather than the clumps typical of many frogs.
• The glands behind its eyes produce defensive secretions that discourage predators.
• Irrigation helps it occupy some otherwise very dry parts of the Nile region.

Wildlife opportunities depend on the river reach, water levels and species. River-specific viewing months have not been confirmed; general species seasons are not a local sighting forecast.

This adaptable toad occupies savannas, grasslands, agricultural land, gardens and other habitats with access to moisture. In the Nile region, irrigation can provide suitable conditions within otherwise dry landscapes. Adults use sheltered terrestrial sites near canals, ponds, ditches and river margins. Breeding generally occurs in still or slow-moving freshwater, including temporary pools and shallow artificial water bodies. The fast-flowing main river channel is less suitable for eggs and tadpoles than sheltered waters nearby.

Adults eat a wide variety of small invertebrates, especially insects. Their prey includes ants, beetles and termites, as well as other suitably sized animals such as spiders. They usually capture moving prey with a rapid flick of the sticky tongue. Tadpoles graze on algae and consume organic material in the water.

Common name

African Common Toad

Scientific name

Sclerophrys regularis

Animal group

Amphibians

Size

Adults are typically about 6–13 cm long, measured from snout to vent; females generally grow larger than males.

Weight

Weight varies with size, sex and breeding condition; a reliable species-wide adult range is not well established.

Lifespan

Lifespan in the wild is poorly documented.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN)

Identification

Look for a robust, short-legged toad with dry-looking, warty skin and conspicuous parotoid glands behind the eyes. The upperparts vary from brown to grey or olive, often with darker patches and sometimes a pale line along the middle of the back. The underside is generally pale, and breeding males may show a darker throat. Colour alone is not diagnostic, and distinguishing it from similar African toads may require a clear view of head and gland features, the call and the locality.