Rewilding Earth Podcast – Episode 156:

The Golden Toad – Hope, Loss, and the Power of Conservation Storytelling

Date: October 3, 2025
Host: Jack Humphrey
Guests: Kyle and Trevor Ritland

Episode Overview

This episode explores the enigmatic story of the golden toad, an iconic but now likely extinct amphibian from Costa Rica’s cloud forests. Brothers Kyle and Trevor Ritland, authors and conservation storytellers, join host Jack Humphrey to discuss their new book unraveling the golden toad’s tale. Through personal anecdotes, scientific context, and reflections on ecological loss and hope, they examine how storytelling can foster empathy, inspire conservation, and keep the magic of lost species alive in our collective imagination.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Golden Toad as a Conservation Symbol

• Discovery and Extinction: The golden toad, a brilliantly colored amphibian, was first described by science in 1964 and last seen in 1989. Its disappearance represents both the fragility and mystery of life in unique ecosystems ([03:36], Trevor Ritland).

• Feeling of Recent Loss: Unlike ancient extinctions, losing a species recently—during our own lifetimes—evokes a deep, personal grief ([04:09], Jack Humphrey).

  Notable Quote:
  “It was just here... and you guys must really be up close and personal with that kind of feeling, like you’re on a... very fresh mystery.”
  — Jack Humphrey [04:09]

• Personal Connection: The Ritland brothers’ father, a biologist, originally told them the toad’s story, inspiring both their fascination and their mission to communicate conservation narratives ([06:27], Trevor Ritland).

2. Storytelling as an Agent of Hope

• Avoiding Doom and Gloom: The Ritlands intentionally avoided making their book a tale solely of loss, instead choosing to highlight mystery, possibility, and the vital role of narrative in fostering conservation ([03:06], Trevor Ritland).

  Notable Quote:
  “That stood out to us when we kind of first encountered the story is how much hope there was kind of tied up in this tale.”
  — Trevor Ritland [03:06]

• Sense of Place: They sought to immerse readers in Monteverde’s ethereal cloud forest, elevating both species and habitat in the story ([10:18], Trevor Ritland).

  Notable Quote:
  “It’s as much core to the story as the species that are at the heart of this story is the ecosystems, the habitats they live in.”
  — Trevor Ritland [10:18]

3. Connection, Isolation, and Microgeography

• Extinction Drivers: The golden toad’s disappearance wasn’t due to habitat loss, but rather to subtle climate changes, fungal disease (chytrid fungus), and the unavoidable vulnerability due to its extremely limited range ([13:05], Trevor Ritland).

• Connectivity vs. Isolation: They draw parallels to other isolated species, especially salamanders in the US Southeast, warning that without habitat connectivity, many species face similar risks ([15:30], Kyle Ritland).

  Notable Quote:
  “It is a warning in some ways, both to ourselves, to other species, of what a changing ecosystem, a changing environment and a changing climate, the pressures that they can put on these species.”
  — Kyle Ritland [15:30]

4. The Power and Challenge of Conservation Empathy

• News Cycles & Forgotten Crises: Despite amphibians being highlighted as extinction “bellwethers” in the media in the early 2000s, attention waned. Why do stories of critical ecological loss fade so quickly? ([17:15], Jack Humphrey)

• Ecological Empathy: The Ritlands aim to bridge the empathy gap by telling stories that help people relate to creatures very different from us ([18:22], Trevor Ritland).

  Notable Quote:
  “We only have an instinct to protect things that we love, and we only love what we understand.”
  — Trevor Ritland [19:10]

5. Adventure Term — Storytelling for Change

• Founding a Nonprofit: Adventure Term, the Ritlands’ organization, brings young people on conservation storytelling journeys, encouraging them to care about and document threatened species and habitats ([20:18], Kyle Ritland).

• Democratizing Storytelling: They hope more scientists and non-scientists alike will be inspired (or nudged) to share their stories, given the time and training ([24:49], Kyle Ritland).

  Notable Quote:
  “If we’re counting on the people who are conducting the research to also be the ones to tell the story, that feels like a lot. ...I hope that there are more people like us who… have storytelling training or at least an interest in learning to identify some of these stories that need to be told.”
  — Kyle Ritland [24:49]

6. Mystery, Memories, and Personal Testimonies

• Finding Hope on the Ground: Many local Costa Ricans and field biologists still nurture hope that the golden toad survives somewhere, even if officially declared extinct ([32:37], Trevor Ritland).

  Notable Quote:
  “Every time I go out in the forest, I still hold out hope that I might find a golden toad.”
  — Trevor Ritland recounting Eladio Cruz [33:18]

• Storytelling and Trust: Building relationships with locals allowed the Ritlands to access deeper, more candid stories, reinforcing the value of long-term commitment in conservation work ([35:31], Trevor Ritland).

• Chytrid & the Australian Connection: The Ritlands explored the global story of chytrid fungus by interviewing Australian conservationists, some of whom felt silenced after witnessing frog extinctions that went unrecognized for years ([28:24], Kyle Ritland).

7. The Grounds for Hope

• Rediscoveries: Certain frog species (e.g., the variable harlequin frog) are beginning to recolonize Costa Rican forests, giving tangible hope for recovery—if key habitats are protected and reconnected ([36:36], Trevor Ritland).

  Notable Story:
  “There’s one species... I didn’t get to see in person until just this last March. That’s Atelopis varius, a variable harlequin frog.... It’s just starting to come back in little pockets in Costa Rica. And that gives us a lot of hope.”
  — Trevor Ritland [37:16]

• Value of Wonder: The feeling that the golden toad might still be alive inspires continued protection of forests and fuels hope ([38:33], Kyle Ritland).

• Protecting for Uncertainty: Many conservation victories result not just from protecting known species, but also from preserving the mystery of what else might be out there—sometimes resulting in surprise discoveries ([43:22], Trevor Ritland).

  Notable Anecdote:
  “You protect a tapir, you get a new frog.”
  — Kyle Ritland [43:22]

8. Future Directions & Lasting Impact

• Charismatic vs. Lesser-known Species: Both the mystery of undiscovered species and the charisma of megafauna (like jaguars) play important roles in garnering support for conservation ([44:44], Trevor Ritland).

• Their Next Chapters: The Ritlands plan to continue conservation storytelling, with ideas including revisiting their earlier crocodile documentary and further work on amphibian recoveries, despite the challenges of balancing family and fieldwork ([46:08], Trevor Ritland & Kyle Ritland).

  Notable Quote:
  “There’s definitely no shortage of stories about endangered species and threatening ecosystem. So as long as those continue, we’re going to keep trying to tell them.”
  — Kyle Ritland [47:12]

Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On Grief and Hope:
  “It’s a very specific type of grief, and I don’t think we encounter it too often.”
  — Kyle Ritland [05:43]

• On Sense of Wonder:
  “When we’re out in the forest on that trip, I saw things I never thought I’d see in my life. And that was because of the golden toad.”
  — Kyle Ritland [38:33]

• On the Power of Narrative:
  “You can publish as many critical scientific reports as possible, but if people aren’t engaging with the story that exists within that, we won’t really see the kind of impact that we hope to.”
  — Kyle Ritland [22:38]

• On Community-led Conservation:
  “You protect a tapir, you get a new frog.”
  — Kyle Ritland [43:22]

• On Finding the Face of Conservation:
  “I also think it’s also really great to give people a face of your campaign.”
  — Trevor Ritland [44:44]

Important Timestamps

• [00:10] – Kyle Ritland on life lessons from the golden toad
• [03:06] – Trevor Ritland on hopefulness in extinction stories
• [06:27] – The Ritlands’ origin story with the golden toad
• [10:18] – The importance of place in conservation narratives
• [13:05] – Microgeography and the golden toad’s fate
• [15:30] – The warning of isolated populations
• [18:22] – Building ecological empathy
• [20:18] – Founding Adventure Term nonprofit
• [28:24] – The untold chytrid/amphibian decline stories in Australia
• [32:37] – Encounters with golden toad witnesses and local hope
• [36:36] – Plot twists and rediscovery fueling hope
• [43:22] – Conservation’s surprise dividends: new discoveries
• [47:12] – The Ritlands’ motivation for continuing their work

Themes & Tone

The discussion remains warm, enthusiastic, and heartfelt throughout, balancing the gravity of ecological loss with genuine optimism. The Ritlands emphasize hope, wonder, and the democratization of conservation storytelling—all framed with humility and deep respect for both the science and the personal narrative.

Further Resources

• Rewilding Earth episode page with links to the Ritlands’ work and the Golden Toad book
• Adventure Term nonprofit (for info on conservation storytelling projects)

This episode is an inspiring listen for anyone interested in the intersection of science, storytelling, and action for biodiversity. It’s a model for turning ecological grief into hope and collective purpose.