Habitat Associations of the Red-Spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus) in the Red Hills Physiographic Region in Kansas

Arid-adapted anurans are difficult to study due to short active seasons and cryptic lifestyles, but these anurans might be particularly susceptible to population declines as climate change continues. Therefore, understanding the habitat associations of these anurans is essential to implement effective conservation practices. One such arid-adapted species is the Red-Spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus; RST), a Kansas Species in Need of Conservation. Since this designation in 1987, little research has been conducted to understand their conservation needs. In June and July 2022, we tracked 15 RST using radio-telemetry in the Red Hills Physiographic region (Comanche County, Kansas). Because traditional very high frequency (VHF) telemetry can be time consuming and labor intensive, we streamlined the telemetry process using digital telemetry tags. We also created a receiver grid for remote telemetry and compared the results to our manually obtained locations. In Kansas, RST primarily use gypsum outcrops and cliff faces. The results of this study increase our understanding of the habitat associations of RST and provide insights and recommendations for their conservation. Our study also demonstrates some of the benefits, challenges, and limits of developing radio-telemetry techniques.