Not extinct after all

The Mallorcan midwife toad is a special species of toad. This is because until recently it was assumed that the species was extinct. Indeed, only fossils of the animal had been found. However, it was rediscovered in 1979. Then some larvae and young toads were found. Since then the species has been protected and through an intensive breeding and reintroduction program there are now several hundred pairs again.

Hitchhiking

In Mallorcan midwife toads, the male carries the eggs along on his hind legs. When the eggs hatch, he deposits his larvae in a pool where they can continue to grow until they are adult toads themselves. Currently, the worldwide spread of the Batrachochytrium fungus is a major threat to these animals, as well as virtually all amphibian species.