- Right there, right there,
look, look, look. - Oh.
- Wow do you know what that is?
That's the Japanese common toad.
A native species, we're usually used to seeing toads.
- [Cameraman] It's getting away.
- Oh no, it's getting in that hole, come here.
(intense music)
The Brave Wilderness Channel features plenty
of dangerous animals, from snapping turtles
and grizzly bears to water moccasins and tiger sharks.
So trust me when I say
that featuring a non-dangerous species
is a welcomed breath of fresh air.
Today we are back on location in Japan.
And while I know you were all waiting
in heated anticipation for this.
Here we go.
Before we even found the giant hornet,
we stumbled upon another one of Japan's giants
that is far less painful to interact with.
Toad, toad, Toad.
- [Cameraman] Where?
- Right there, right there,
look, look, look. - Oh.
- [Coyote] Wow, do you know what that is?
- [Cameraman] That's a big toad.
- [Coyote] It is a big toad,
that's the Japanese common toad.
A native species, we're usually used to seeing toads.
- [Cameraman] It's getting away.
- Oh no, it's getting in that hole,
come here, come, come, come here.
Oh, buddy, okay, oh here that little chirping.
- [Cameraman] Awe.
- Wow, holy mackerel that is a cool looking toad.
Okay, I think we definitely need to film a segment
with this one.
Here let's step back just a little bit onto the trail
and get it into a controlled situation.
Wow!
How about that, that is the Japanese toad,
one of the coolest looking amphibians
that you will find here in this country
and it's a pretty good size too.
Now when we're talking toads, the females often times
grow larger than the males.
To be honest with you guys I can't tell if this is a male
or a female because they can get bigger than this.
And look at the coloration, so distinct.
Look at that bright gold that runs all over the body,
the black speckles and I love this dark line
that runs just behind the ear and down to the belly.
And speaking of the belly, check this out.
Come here little toad, look at this speckling on the belly.
- [Cameraman] Oh, wow, look at that pattern.
- Pretty cool looking, right?
Oh, look at that pudgy little belly.
Now these toads are opportunistic feeders
and they will eat pretty much
any little small arthropod or crustacean
that they come across in the forest.
And these toads are always out on the move
and you can see this toad is just gonna climb here,
I'm gonna let it climb from hand to hand,
that's gonna be easier, it wants to move.
You see how they climb often times as compared to hopping.
Hopping is usually used by toads to escape
from a predator quickly and in this instance the toad
is just feeling, alright, I'm gonna climb from spot to spot,
up the mountain of Coyote's hands.
Now they have incredible eyesight,
both during the day and at night
and in a very heavily canopied forest like this,
this toad is gonna be hunting
in any opportunity that it gets.
Now when it comes to predators,
most things avoid toads because as we know
they are poisonous and that poison
comes from the parotoid glands.
And this one's got some pretty prominent glands
just above the ears there.
You can actually see the little pores.
Now if this toad was feeling extremely stressed
or let's say I was an actual predator
that was trying to eat it and I bit down on the toad,
it would secrete that poison,
which of course, is toxic and has a very, very nasty taste.
This toad is feeling very calm right now
and I just love the bumpiness to the toad's skin
and what's really unique about this species, specifically
is that during the breeding season,
the male's skin will actually get smooth
so it'd look more like a frog.
Look at those forelimbs,
oh buddy I see it. - It looks like a Popeye toad.
- It is and it's starting to puff up now,
it's saying alright, just let me back up in the forest
but before we do look at these legs,
strong, muscular legs and you can see those rear feet there
have a little bit of webbing.
And unlike frogs, toads are primarily terrestrial
which means they're moving through the forest,
over logs, over rocks and they're excellent climbers.
A toad like this when it needs to hide
or if it wants to sleep, it will burrow down,
probably up under a rock, like where we saw it,
that could be this toad's territory.
Had perfect opportunity with some water
flowing through there, lots of plants, lots of soft mud.
A perfect place to search for food
and of course, to hide or sleep.
- [Cameraman] So, are these toads common, Coyote?
- Yes, in fact, they're often times
called the common Japanese toad.
Of course, us being able to find one
was just right place, right time
but from what I know, yes, this is a fairly common species.
And despite the fact that it's golden coloration.
Let me turn it like that.
Take a good look at the color of that toad,
it still manages to hide incredibly well
amongst all the fallen pine needles
and the light and the shadows.
Now one thing that I often notice with toads
is they have a tendency to pee on you.
And of course, that is a defense mechanism
to get something to let go of it
but so far this toad has not peed at all.
- [Cameraman] It's been talking to you, though.
- Yeah, it's a little talkative.
Oh and as soon as I say that,
(laughs)
the toad just opens up
and that's a lot of toad pee.
Now, I'm not worried about this animal becoming dehydrated
because if you can hear, there's a river in the background
and this environment is incredibly saturated.
But at this juncture the toad is pretty much saying,
okay, I've had enough time in front of the cameras,
please place me back into the forest,
which is exactly what we're gonna do.
But how cool is this, coming across Bufo japonicus,
one of the coolest amphibians in all of Japan.
I'm Coyote Peterson, be brave, stay wild,
we'll see you on the next adventure.
Definitely gonna need to wash my hands.
(dramatic music)
All across the planet, toads seem to hop across our paths.
And they seem to never lose my excitement
for these fascinating terrestrial amphibians.
The Japanese giant toad is without question
the most brilliantly decorated species
we have ever encountered.
These adorable yet potentially toxic animals
are for the most part completely safe to interact with
and despite their warty appearance,
they cannot give you warts.
However, if you do catch and admire a toad,
no matter what the species, always wash your hands
after you have released it back into the wild.
- [Narrator] Hey Coyote Pack, have you enjoyed
watching Coyote's climb up the insect's sting pain index?
Learn more about these thrilling and painful adventures
in Coyote's new book, The King of Sting.
It swarms into book stores November 27th
but you can pre-order your copy today.
Just look for the link in the description below.
- [Coyote] If you hop with excitement for toads,
make sure to go back and watch the episode
where I show you what happens
when you squeeze the parotoid gland off a cane toad, gross.
And don't forget, subscribe then click the notification bell
so you can join me and the crew on our next wild adventure.
(dramatic music)
(howling)