- Where to see one
- 11 U.S. zoos in our directory hold puerto rican crested toad, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
- Native range
- Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, including historically Virgin Gorda
Conservation status
IUCN Red List category EN — step 4 of 7.
Endangered (EN), per the IUCN; also listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
About the Puerto Rican crested toad
The Puerto Rican crested toad, also called the Puerto Rican toad or lowland Caribbean toad, and known locally as sapo concho, is the only species of toad native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Its scientific name is Peltophryne lemur. The species formerly ranged across Virgin Gorda and along the southern and northern karst regions of Puerto Rico, though its range has since contracted. It carries a striking history: the toad was once believed to be extinct before it was rediscovered in 1966.
The IUCN lists the Puerto Rican crested toad as endangered, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service separately classifies it as threatened, citing habitat loss and introduced species as the drivers behind its decline.
Behavior and diet
The material available for this page focuses on the species' conservation history rather than its day-to-day behavior or diet, so those details are not covered here.
Range and habitat
Habitat
southern and northern karst regions of Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rican crested toad is native only to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, historically including Virgin Gorda, and to the southern and northern karst regions of Puerto Rico itself. It is the only toad species native to this area. Further detail on specific habitat conditions within that range is not provided here.
Conservation status
Conservation of the Puerto Rican crested toad has centered on a captive breeding and release program run by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Puerto Rico's Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. In 2013 alone, the program released 71,000 tadpoles and 520 toadlets across three sites, and over the prior twenty years it released a cumulative 260,000 tadpoles.
Several individual zoos have contributed substantial numbers of animals to these releases. In 2019, the Detroit Zoological Society sent 8,000 tadpoles to Puerto Rico, and that November saw the first Puerto Rican crested toad born via in vitro fertilization. The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens sent another 24,000 tadpoles in 2025, bringing its lifetime contribution to 51,117. In June 2026, the Detroit Zoological Society sent 6,855 more tadpoles for release at Rio Encantado, near Manatí, Puerto Rico, pushing the zoo's all-time total to 143,195 tadpoles raised and released.
The species also picked up an unexpected conservation boost in 2025, when the rapper Bad Bunny created a character named Concho, modeled on the Puerto Rican crested toad, to promote his album Debí Tirar Más Fotos. The attention generated by that promotional image is described as having had a strong impact on the toad's conservation profile.
Where to see puerto rican crested toad in the U.S.
11 zoos across 9 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 11 zoos holding puerto rican crested toad by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Alabama· 1
Florida· 2
Michigan· 2
Minnesota· 1
Missouri· 1
New Jersey· 1
New York· 1
Tennessee· 1
Texas· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
Puerto Rican Crested Toad: common questions
Is the Puerto Rican crested toad endangered?
Yes. The IUCN lists it as Endangered, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service separately lists it as threatened due to habitat loss and introduced species.
Where do Puerto Rican crested toads live in the wild?
Only in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, including the island's southern and northern karst regions and, historically, Virgin Gorda.
Which U.S. zoos have Puerto Rican crested toads?
Our directory lists 6, including the Detroit Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, and Nashville Zoo at Grassmere.
How do zoos help conserve the Puerto Rican crested toad?
Zoos including the Detroit Zoological Society and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens raise tadpoles for release in Puerto Rico as part of a program coordinated by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums; the Detroit Zoo alone has released more than 143,000 tadpoles to date.
Was the Puerto Rican crested toad ever thought to be extinct?
Yes. It was believed extinct at one point before being rediscovered in 1966.
