QUEEN'S PARK - In the spirit of the Stanley Cup playoffs, ecological watchdog Environmental Defence handed out trading cards to Members of Provincial Parliament at a reception Tuesday.

But instead of penguins, sharks and mighty ducks, Environmental Defence handed out cards of endangered species native to Ontario to set the stage for the second reading of the new Endangered Species Act.

Erie-Lincoln MPP Tim Hudak was matched up with the Fowler's Toad, a native species in his riding, which lives in the woodlands, meadows and beaches along Lake Erie. The Fowler's Toad is just one of about 200 at risk animal or plant species Environmental Defence has identified in Ontario.

Hudak said he is quite familiar with the Fowler's Toad, having taken up local causes in recent years in partnership environmental groups, area municipalities and numerous constituents in an effort to preserve its native habitat, which includes Marcy's Woods in Fort Erie, the Wainfleet bog, and the Easter Seals Society's Lakewood Camp, also in Wainfleet.

"It has been my pleasure to work with local environmental groups and municipal councils in the past to see as much of their ecosystem is preserved as possible," Hudak said. "I'm happy to be designated by Environmental Defence to be the steward of the Fowler's Toad here at Queen's Park."

The Fowler's Toad is considered by biologists to be a medium-sized toad, typically brown, grey or green in colour. It is distinguishable from similar species of toads by its virtually spotless stomach, the black outline around dark spots on its back, and by the number of warts within each spot, usually three of more.

They can be found in a large area of the eastern United States from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, but in all of Canada it can only be found in Ontario in small numbers along the Lake Erie coastline. It is currently protected under Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

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Contact: Tim Hudak, MPP