preferred habitat includes loblolly pine, post oak, blue jack oak, yaupon holly, curly threeawn, and little bluestem. They are typically found in water sources such as shallow ponds, rain pools, flooded fields, or man-made ponds which can occur for up to 30 days during the breeding, and egg/tadpole development process. Threats Though the largest and most immediate threat is habitat loss, the reduced toad populations are also vulnerable to automobiles, predators, pesticides and drought. As land is being converted into land for agriculture and urbanization there is less wetland and wooded areas for the Houston toad to be able to survive in. Creating ponds out of ephemeral wetlands also significantly affects the toads because of the dispersion of the calling males. The conversions to permanent ponds creates a higher risk to predators such as snakes and fish. In addition to this, is the increase in competition and hybridization with similar species. As more ponds are created on the terrain the calling males become dispersed through a larger area making it more difficult to breed with females. Drought has also affected the toad population. During the 1950s there was a long term drought which decreased the breeding sites which increased mortality rates and created uncontrollable wildfire which lead to devastating land altering affects. The species not only lost their breeding sites but also had a loss in egg and tadpoles due to the pond evaporation. After 2009, the severe drought conditions continued to get worse and occurred throughout the central Texas region, where the Houston toad population resides. It was calculated that during peak breeding season in March 2011, central Texas received under .10 inch of rain making it the fourth driest March since 1856. In addition to the decrease in rainfall, the temperature has continued to increase and have become abnormally high. This creates a greater evaporation rate in breeding areas such as small ponds. Invasive species such as the fire ant consume the Houston toad and therefore creating a decline in their population. Houston toads can withstand Conservation status By 1960, the Houston toads were unable to be located and in 1970, the Houston toad was federally listed as an endangered species. It was determined that they were extirpated from the Houston, Texas area by the 1960s, likely coincident with the severe drought of the 1950s and concurrent development of its forested habitat in that region. A population that