Whether you move as slow as a turtle or as fast as a snake, you can touch a turtle shell or try to find a camouflaged lizard in the Zoo´s Reptile House.

The Reptile House, the first building constructed under FERA, began in late 1933 and was completed in 1934. Attracting international attention in zoological circles as one of only seven reptile houses in the world, the Reptile House was built entirely by hand with salvaged building materials.

Through long-term conservation projects, the Zoo is known throughout the world for its work in preserving the Virgin Islands boa and Aruba Island rattlesnake. In fact, conservation efforts for both of these species earned the Zoo the American Zoo and Aquarium Association´s (AZA) Conservation Award in 1995 and 1998. This is the AZA´s highest honor for work in conservation among its 185 member institutions.

The Toledo Zoo is proud to announce the opening of its new Kihansi Spray Toad exhibit—the only place in the world where these rare amphibians can be viewed by the public. The spray toad is thought to be extinct in the wild, but about half of the world’s population can be found at The Toledo Zoo.

It was only a couple of years ago that the spray toad was in grave danger of extinction. A dam was built in Tanzania that destroyed the lone habitat of this tiny amphibian. Through a grant from the World Bank, about 500 of the spray toads that could be recovered were brought to the United States, and The Toledo Zoo was among the zoos to take part in a breeding program to save the species. Unfortunately, the spray toad foundered at many other zoos, and soon the overall population dwindled to fewer than 50. However, the spray toad flourished in two locations: The Bronx Zoo and The Toledo Zoo, which gives herpetologists hope for the future of the species.

The spray toad is a most unusual animal in many ways. Unlike most other amphibians, they produce live offspring who receive their nourishment from the mother, much like we expect from mammals. The baby spray toad is smaller than a housefly, only three to four millimeters in length, while a full grown spray toad reaches less than an inch.

The spray toads can be found in the Diversity of Life exhibit.