The Concho toad, Puerto Rico’s only endemic species, rose to fame this year after appearing in a documentary. I should have taken more photos Written by Bad Bunny For more than 40 years, he has been using assisted reproductive technology to challenge the extinction of his species. By herpetologists. “The character of the concho was made visible through this production of Bad Bunny, and to some extent it was brought to light through its anonymity. The concho is a species that has always been part of Puerto Rico’s biodiversity, its fauna,” explains biologist Sondra Vega of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR).
This toad has a charismatic upturned nose and is famous for pronouncing the phrase “Acho PR is different.” They live six to eight years in captivity, but only half that in the wild.habitat loss, predators such as dragonflies, and invasive species.
Vega, 53, who specializes in the conservation of this species, says it’s all thanks to the exhibit featuring characters inspired by the species. peltfurin lemur, The scientific name of this amphibian is It is now possible to reach a wider audience about this toad Since conservation planning began in 1984, we have been fighting to keep it from disappearing.
“That part of connecting with people was not possible with the scale of what happened this year.”“While educating people about the species in conjunction with a Bad Bunny concert in August, the herpetologist was surprised by the public’s interest,” says the herpetologist.
The challenge of recreating the Concho toad in Puerto Rico
Abel Vale Nieves, president of the non-profit organization Ciudadanos del Carso, said: Aiming to reduce costs at Puerto Rico’s Concho toad breeding center. Your organization has been participating in this conservation effort since 2006 with the UPR, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA), the federal government, and 14 U.S. zoos.
“So far, breeding has been carried out in zoos in the United States and Canada; They are transported by plane in boxes and given everything they need to survive, including water and oxygen. Then they are released into the pond,” Nieves said before welcoming nine scientists to the El Talonal farm and releasing 20 adults and 106 juveniles using radio transmitters.
In Talonal, three artificial ponds have been created for this amphibian. This amphibian prefers arid and semi-arid karst forests, especially in southern Puerto Rico, where it breeds intensely for short periods of time, especially after heavy rains. It is estimated that on average Females can release 1,000 to 3,000 eggs in a reproductive event. However, the maximum value reported is 15,000. Through these conservation efforts, 751,938 tadpoles have been released by June 2025, of which 58,983 were released this summer season.
The species is still unknown From Talonal, Ramon Ruiz Rivera, technical advisor of DRNA’s ecology department, insists that much work is still needed to prevent the disappearance of the Concho toad. Less than 5% of Puerto Ricans knew him before his stardom with Bad Bunny. “There is still a lack of knowledge, so if we can keep that in mind and give people the opportunity to work directly in Puerto Rico, we can make them feel valued,” Rivera says of the creation of the island’s first endangered species breeding center.
The project was approved by DRNA this week, and now all that remains is for the Department of Permits to approve construction to begin. Construction will last one to one-and-a-half years and will provide “an opportunity for many students and community members to integrate and learn about the Concho toad,” Rivera said. Vega so that more young people are interested in its preservation. We hope Concho will play a leading role on Bad Bunny’s international tour. It will begin on November 21st in the Dominican Republic, thus allowing the species to “leave Puerto Rico” and gain worldwide recognition.
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