In brief
Researchers report that rising fame surrounding the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT secreted by the Sonoran Desert toad has resulted in significant trapping and population declines, threatening the species with extinction.
The Sonoran Desert toad, often mistaken for an ordinary amphibian with its plump, green body and warty brown spots, possesses a remarkable defense mechanism. When threatened, it secretes 5-MeO-DMT, a powerful psychedelic compound. However, this unique ability may now jeopardize its survival due to a surge in interest in psychedelics.Recent studies presented at the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver reveal that trapping in certain areas of Mexico has drastically reduced the toad's numbers and pushed other populations toward decline. Anny Ortiz, the clinical therapeutics lead at the Usona Institute in Wisconsin, noted that the increased attention surrounding psychedelics, while fostering interest in healing, has inadvertently endangered the species. Ortiz commented, "In just over a decade, we’ve put this species at risk of extinction in the name of healing and expansion of consciousness." The combination of rampant collection, habitat destruction, and the impacts of climate change creates a perfect storm for the toad, which Ortiz describes as a “triple whammy for the species.”Discovered in the secretions of the Sonoran Desert toad in 1967, 5-MeO-DMT remained largely overlooked for decades. However, around 2014, media reports began highlighting its psychoactive effects, leading to a dramatic rise in demand. Many narratives surrounding "toad medicine" have misrepresented the actual practices of Indigenous tribes from the Sonoran Desert, with Dr. Ortiz asserting there is no supporting evidence for these claims.As public fascination grows, conservationists and researchers alike are calling for immediate action to protect this extraordinary amphibian from further decline.
