- This animal has a trait that makes it nearly immortal.
Time to get hands on with the zombie toad.
There it is.
(static crackling)
Alright, here we are again in the Sonoran Desert at night,
but this time it's different.
We partnered up with PetSmart, who's sponsoring this video,
to find a creature that has alluded us all these years.
And get this,
this animal has a trait that makes it nearly immortal.
Oh man, I'm excited.
All right, headlamps on, let's get searching.
So in order to find this extremely elusive animal,
which only comes out once a year,
we've got to locate some water,
which is not exactly the easiest thing to do
here in the desert.
So we're going to have to hike probably a couple of miles,
but the good news is while we're hiking,
this is monsoon season, there's a good chance
we're going to find some other things
crawling around out here.
And of course,
if we see stuff, we're going to stop and take a look.
I mean, this is Brave Wilderness after all.
Oh, I think I see something right there.
Got a snake right here, look at that.
That's a nice one too, okay.
I'm going to get out the snake hook.
You gotta be super careful. This is a venomous snake.
It's a species of rattlesnake,
but is a very specialized version.
Not only do they have a very distinct feature.
If you look at the front of that snake's head,
you see those horns, it's actually a specialized scale.
The raised scales over their eyes are likely
an evolutionary adaptation that may help the snake
shade its eyes from the sun,
or possibly prevent sand from drifting over them
as they laid buried underneath the sand to ambush prey.
But perhaps the most interesting trait,
let's see if we can get it to do this,
is how they move.
There we go, see that move?
Look at that, you see that sideways locomotion?
That is so cool.
Well I think we can all see how this little snake
got its infamous name, the Sidewinder.
It's not the creature we were after,
but it's certainly a good start to the night.
All right lets grab our stuff and keep going.
So here we go, this is a very nice wash.
And for those of you who have seen our adventures out in
the Sonoran Desert previous to this video,
you'll remember that this is like the super highway for
creatures at night.
So what I want to do right now
is I actually want to get a different tool.
This of course would be a black light
and this is the perfect instrument to find those
stinging arachnids, the scorpions, out here in the desert.
And I think if we search for probably just a few minutes
we'll come across one.
We've got one right there. You see it?
Oh yeah, that's a Desert Hairy.
Oh, it's a big one too, look at that. Check that out.
Oh yeah. Oh, they do have a pretty decent pinch, I will say.
Check that out, Desert Hairy Scorpion,
the largest scorpion out here in the Sonoran Desert.
But what's interesting is although it is the largest,
it has probably the weakest venom.
So if you're stung by a Desert Hairy Scorpion
for most people, it's nothing more than a bee sting.
However that being said, some people are allergic.
So you definitely do not want to be stung by any scorpion,
if you can help it.
Now I did take a couple of good pinches.
A scorpion this size will give you a pretty solid pinch,
so you definitely don't want to pick one up
if you see it out here in the desert.
I'm only doing it so I can get it close to the cameras
and you guys can see just how illuminated
they become under a black light.
Is that showing up on camera?
- [Cameraman] Yeah, it looks cool.
- Awesome, okay.
Well let's fire up the lights.
Let this scorpion go and keep heading toward the water.
I think you can tell by all these bugs,
we're starting to get close.
(suspenseful music)
Okay, this is perfect.
There was once water here, which means, oh yeah,
we have found the water folks.
20 yards ahead lives the creature
that we've been searching for, let's go.
(suspenseful music and insects chirping)
Oh, I think I got one.
Oh yeah, okay.
I'll leave my pack here and I'm heading in.
Time to get hands on with the zombie toad.
(building suspenseful music)
Ah ha got them!
- [Cameraman] Nice catch.
- Oh yeah, that is perfect.
That's definitely the toad we've been after.
There you have it ladies and gentlemen,
the Spadefoot Toad AKA the zombie toad.
This creature actually lives underground.
They use this specialized appendage,
see that little black speck?
That is actually why it gets the name Spadefoot.
Because that little black speck is actually very
rigid and it's made out of keratin,
the same material as my fingernail,
and it uses this spade to dig itself back into the soil
for another year of hibernation.
Now, when it does hibernate,
it almost completely dehydrates itself
and slows down all of its life processes
remaining in a state of limbo
for months and months and months.
While hiding underground in suspended animation
the Spadefoot Toad is a solitary creature,
but when the rainfall finally returns
during the monsoon season,
the toad will rehydrate itself
and emerge from the ground to breed
and lay eggs in shallow pools of water.
This is the primary reason they return to life,
but they will return to the ground shortly thereafter
for another year as a nearly lifeless organism.
Now if you take a closer look,
you'll see there's another few interesting traits
about this species of toad.
It lacks the traditional paratoid glands right behind the
eyes that you'll see on the Colorado River Toad.
Also it has vertical pupils,
I don't know if you can get a tight shot in there
at the eye, almost like a cat's eye.
And you could see the skin not quite as bumpy,
got them, having to play catch tonight with this toad,
you can see the skin is not quite as bumpy
as your ordinary toad.
And in fact,
I would say the Spadefoot Toad resembles more of a frog
than a species of toad.
But I think this is so cool,
to finally get to feature this nearly immortal creature
that can dig down into the desert sands
and live its whole year without water,
only to resurrect itself when the rains return.
(whispers) Wow.
Now I know a lot of you at home
are probably looking at this toad, thinking to yourself,
that toads pretty cute, if I was ever in the Sonoran desert
and I found a toad like that,
I bet it would make a pretty good pet.
Well, the truth is,
these animals live a very specialized life and
therefore need a very specialized habitat
and do not make good pets,
but there are definitely some reptiles
and amphibians that do.
Look at that and the sun's out!
And PetSmart has everything you need
to care for your brand new family member.
- Hi, welcome to PetSmart.
- PetSmart understands how much everyone at home loves their
pets and the fact that they would do anything for them.
Getting a new pet can be overwhelming,
as the one-stop destination for new pet essentials,
PetSmart offers information,
a product assortment not found anywhere else,
and expert service solutions.
So you can focus on the excitement
of getting your new family member
and not the stress.
And one of the best options for a first time pet owner
in the reptile space is none other than the Bearded Dragon.
Look at this little fella.
And this is the perfect setup
for a long-term home for this reptile.
While this little juvenile may appear too small
for terrarium this size,
it's actually perfect because at full grown adult size,
a Bearded Dragon can grow up to 24 inches in length.
So this terrarium will serve this lizard
for its entire lifespan.
Now, one of the most important things
when caring for your brand new Bearded Dragon
is that you have a warm side and a cool side in the habitat.
The best way to ensure that's possible is to have a
hydrometer thermometer and proper UV lighting.
All of which is included in this kit.
So like we said before,
wildlife don't really make good pets,
but if you want to own a reptile, like a Bearded Dragon,
this is a great choice.
I'm Mark Vins be brave, stay bearded.
We'll see you next time.
All right off you go.
Thank you to PetSmart for sponsoring this special adventure
and make sure to visit PetSmart or petsmart.com today
for all of your new reptile care needs.
(birds chirping)