Tadpoles

Tadpoles have been seen for a week in Kokanee Creek Park. These tadpoles are the larvae of the Western Toad.

First, the stage is set by going back about 5 weeks to the time of amplexus. (Actually it is an older picture from a previous year.) Amplexus is the toad’s external mating behaviour in which a male grasps a female with his front legs. She releases her eggs which he fertilizes.

Western toads practice amplexus about 5 weeks earlier. The string of eggs is visible on the right side of the picture

The fertilized eggs produce tadpoles. The is one view out of a few thousand tadpoles in Kokanee Creek Park this morning. They will develop into toadlets in another 4–12 weeks, depending upon the water temperature.