According to experts, Chile's largest amphibian, the helmeted water toad, could soon be extinct.

EFE reports that, thanks to various factors including habitat loss, the toad, also known as the Chilean giant frog, is in danger of becoming extinct. The website cites "The Chilean map of species extinction," which reportedly provides visual evidence of the toad's depleting population.

The helmeted water toad lives in "isolated groups," according to EFE. Their habitat ranges from Coquimbo, which is 310 miles (500 kilometers) north of Chile's capital of Santiago, to Puerto Montt, which is about 621 miles (1,000 kilometers) south of the city. Unfortunately for the amphibian, its habitat extends into Chile's most populous areas, where many humans reside.

In addition, the helmeted water toad boasts a decent size; it can grow up to 7.9-inches long (20 centimeters) and can weigh up to 2.2 pounds (one kilogram).

The toad's size and presence in human-dominated areas have become a threat to its population.

"The frog's large size and the succulent taste of its meat make it especially vulnerable to human consumption," Dr. Marcela Vidal, a researcher at the University of Bio-Bio's Genomics and Biodiversity Laboratory, said in a document, EFE reports.

The species (Calyptocephalella gayi) was added to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's Appendix III, which was updated on June 24, 2014.

Despite this, Vidal says the toad is still being killed "due to demand in the hotel and catering sector." Demand for the toad is especially high from September through March, which are the spring and summer seasons in Chile. This is also the time when the helmeted water toad reproduces, making the animal especially threatened as its chance to increase its population is diminished.

According to Cristian Romero, manager of environmental projects of CSW Environmental Consultants, which "advises public and private entities ... to the management and conservation of national biodiversity compliance with environmental commitments within the framework of existing environmental institutions" according to a translation of its official website, "water pollution, habitat fragmentation ... and the arrival of invasive species" also threaten the helmeted water toad.
---

Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

Related