Although Bufo P is small and innocent-looking at present, he or she will eventually grow to about 140mm - pretty much the size of my hand. At that size, let me assure you, Bufo P is hardly attractive, especially when it needs fishing out of the pool.
For now though he is decidedly cute. If he is a male, he will, come August and with maturity, start to "snore" in order to attract as many females to his side as possible. They, in turn, will swamp the roads as they hop to their heart's desire and signs will go up around the neighbourhood saying "Please drive carefully, Leopard Toads crossing".
Bufo P is, I should add, also rather poisonous on top of his head and smaller pets have been known to succumb after too close an encounter with him.
But for now, sitting on the edge of the pond, under the watchful gaze of Sau, one of the ancient Chinese sages (Fuk, Luk and Sau - the Three Star Gods), he seems fairly laid back - and not at all stressed out at having been handled. Actually, truth be told, Bufo was most reluctant to leave the confines of my hand. Given the peach held in the hands of Sau, perhaps Bufo P will be blessed with immortality...
I doubt he'll stay near the pond, but will hop off into the shrubs to earn his living. One just has to hope that the fine fellow below, a sparrowhawk, doesn't snap him up as a very small snack - though to be honest, Mr Sparrowhawk - yes, he is a male - is far more partial to doves and baby guinea fowl - on which note, I regret to inform you, that not a single guinea fowl chick that passed through this garden this summer made it to adulthood. I can only hope that the four who overnighted with us and were taken off to the World of Birds fared considerably better. It's a tough world out there, in case you didn't know.
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