A robust and eye-catching amphibian found across much of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in savannas, woodlands, grasslands, and semi-arid regions. Despite its name, the red coloration isn’t always dramatic—it can range from dull reddish-brown to bright brick-red or even orange, depending on the individual and its environment. What makes this toad special is not just its coloring, but its adaptability, distinctive look, and unique call that echoes during rainy nights.
Adults have stocky, muscular bodies with a slightly flattened profile and rough, warty skin, which helps them retain moisture in hot climates. Their coloring often includes darker blotches or a mottled pattern, and they typically have a pale belly. The head is broad, with prominent eyes and parotoid glands behind them—typical features of many toads that help in secreting mild toxins as a defense against predators.
The African red toad is mostly nocturnal, spending the day hidden in burrows, under logs, leaf litter, or tucked in the cracks of dry earth. It becomes active during wet or humid nights, especially after heavy rain, when it comes out to feed and breed. Its diet consists mostly of insects, spiders, worms, and other small invertebrates, which it catches using its sticky, flicking tongue.
Breeding takes place in temporary pools, puddles, roadside ditches, and shallow ponds, often created after seasonal rains. During the breeding season, males gather at water bodies and produce a distinct, low-pitched trill or croak, which carries well through the night. Females lay long strings of eggs in the water, which hatch into tadpoles within a few days. These tadpoles grow quickly, often reaching metamorphosis in just a few weeks—an adaptation to the ephemeral nature of their breeding sites.
Distribution
Angola
Botswana
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Eswatini
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
ZimbabweAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
