Amphibians may be the last thing people think of when they visit Arches. However, the park is home to a variety of frogs and toads, as well as one species of salamander. Witnessing a chorus of toads may be one of the most memorable experiences canyon country has to offer. It is an awesome event that can fill a canyon with sound, sometimes for hours.
Amphibians are animals that have two life stages: a larval, aquatic form and an adult, terrestrial form. This is the difference between a tadpole and a frog. In Arches, amphibians lay their eggs in the potholes, springs and intermittent streams like Courthouse Wash.
Adult amphibians may wander away from water, but usually remain nearby and wait out dry periods in burrows. Breeding (and toad choruses) usually occurs on spring and summer nights after significant rainfall. Male frogs and toads do the vocalizing. Females lay long strings of gelatin-covered eggs which, depending on the species, may hatch within hours. Metamorphosis can take weeks, though the Great Basin spadefoot toad transforms to adulthood in as little as 14 days, the quickest of any amphibian.
