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The National Park Service wants people to stop licking the Sonoran Desert toad

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Rachel Martin. The National Park Service wants to remind you not to feed or pet the wildlife. And also, please stop licking the toads - specifically the Colorado River toad, which secretes a toxin that can make you sick. But because the toads' toxic secretions also contain a powerful hallucinogen, toad licking has become sort of a thing, to the point where the amphibians are considered threatened in New Mexico. So if you do see a toad, just leave it be.

(SOUNDBITE OF TOAD CROAKING)

MARTIN: It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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