Normally, visitors to national parks enjoy nature and wander around the beautiful landscape. But apparently there are also guests who do something completely different. They grab a toad and lick it. And that’s exactly why the National Park in the US state of Arizona posted a curious warning on Facebook.
Don’t put your mouth in your mouth and don’t touch the Sonoran Desert Trail, also known as the Colorado River Trail. ‘They have prominent parotid glands that secrete a potent toxin. The parotid glands are located just behind the toad’s eyes,” the report reads.
Psychedelic effect
Their venom can even kill a dog. The poison is not life-threatening for humans, but it can make you sick. But why do some visitors lick the animals at all? The poison has a psychedelic effect. Toad lickers will hallucinate and become intoxicated – especially if you smoke the poison. This is exactly why some park guests focus on the animals.
The toad’s venom is called bufotenine and is classified as a narcotic in the US. Possession and consumption is illegal. (lrc)