In 1983, an individual wrote and published a pamphlet detailing the use of the venom of the Sonoran desert toad, or the Colorado river toad, which contains 5-MeO-DMT, as a drug. I’m not providing a link to that pamphlet, as I’m not trying to encourage anyone to do that. According to National Public Radio, several public individuals have spoken about the use of the extracted venom, including Mike Tyson, and the drug has exploded in popularity over the past few years.
Unfortunately, the popularity has grown to a point where the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish has listed the reptile has a threatened species, partially because of their collection for drug use.
“Take by collectors that want to use the animal for drug use via the bufotoxins found in the paranoid glands of I. alvarius have also been reported.” – New Mexico Department of Game & Fish’s Threatened and Endangered Species of of New Mexico: 2020 Biennial Review
The popularity has garnered the attention of the National Park Service who, on October 31st, posted a snippet of information relating to the toad on their Facebook. In that little snippet, the agency explained that the reptile’s toxin will, in fact, make you quite sick, and that, just like any other animal you stumble across in the wilderness, YOU SHOULDN’T LICK THEIR BACKS!
“As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamiliar mushroom, or a large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of night, please refrain from licking. Thank you. Toot!” – National Park Service via Facebook
It’s not cool that the desert toad is a threatened species because people are trying to trip, but, and please don’t get mad at me for this, it is kinda funny that it’s gotten to the point where the National Park Service feels the need to remind people to not lick wild animals.
Image Credit: National Park Service via Facebook