Upper School Fall drama production of Macbeth, by Michelle Scrivener

A Woodhouse's Toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii) was found in Kanas City on May 15th, 2019 in a dry part of a creek behind my friend's house. These toads can be found throughout the United States and specifically in river valleys, meadows, grasslands, and marshes. Woodhouse's Toad has a chemical defense of poison that can be secreted from their parotid glands and warts on their bodies. This specific poison is called Bufotalin, which is a cardiotoxic bufanolide steroid. This can lead to a slow heartbeat or rapid heartbeat and an increased rate of contractions, atrioventricular block, and sometimes cardiac arrest. At the moment there are no major threats to these toads and are considered of "least concern" by the International Union of Conservation and Nature meaning they are not a focus of species conservation. These toads may seem harmless, but watch out because if they deem you a threat they will release this poison chemical defense.

Upper School Fall drama production of Macbeth, by Michelle Scrivener