Saving Boreal Toads: 'Purple Rain' Tadpoles Are Growing Up Healthy

CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- A University of Colorado-Boulder student's effort to save native Boreal toads seems to be working! Tim Korpita and wildlife officers returned to Chaffee County this week and were delighted to find thousands of tadpoles they released are growing up healthy.

The team dipped nearly 5,000 of the young toads in a mixture called "purple rain" before releasing them into the wetland. It's meant to protect them from a deadly fungus that was taking a serious toll on the endangered species.

This is the third year of a research project to investigate the use of bacterial treatments.

In:
• Colorado Parks And Wildlife