Arizona, July 25
Wildlife officials in Arizona said toads are being stolen from a conservation area and the thieves are believed to be planning to lick them.
The Spur Cross Conservation Area’s official Facebook page posted footage showing multiple people taking Sonoran desert toads late at night.
The post said the case has been turned over to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to seek charges including violation of the park’s posted hours and vandalism.
Randy Babb, an Arizona Game and Fish wildlife biologist, said the thieves were likely planning to lick the toads, a practice that induces hallucinogenic effects similar to DMT.
“Sonoran desert toads are the toads of choice and they harvest the poison and then ingest it,” Babb said. “They’re the largest toad in the Southwest. They can reach sizes of more than two pounds and can live up to 20 years.”
- upi.com