NPS Urges Guests To Refrain From Licking Psychedelic Toad Found In Arizona

The National Park Service is urging visitors to stop licking the Sonoran Desert Toad.

Fox 10 Phoenix reported that the toad is also known as the Colorado River toad and is one of the largest in North America.

The toad secretes a toxin that can make people sick if they handle it or get the poison in their mouth. The NPS said, "As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamiliar mushroom, or large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of the night, please refrain from licking."

The toad is found in rivers, springs, and reservoirs in parts of Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, California, and New Mexico.

Some people are drawn to licking the toad as the toad's toxins contain a psychedelic chemical called 5-MeO-DMT. Over the past few years, the practice of smoking toad venom has gained popularity. The toad is even listed as threatened in some areas due to "collectors that want to use the animal for drug use," among other factors.

The toad's toxins are dangerous for not only humans, but for other animals as well. The toxin is strong enough to kill a fully-grown dog that picks up the toad or ingests the toxins.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum says, "Symptoms of intoxication are excessive salivation, irregular heartbeat and gait, and pawing at the mouth. If a dog displays any of these symptoms, use a garden hose to rinse its mouth from back to front and consult a veterinarian."