[1][3][4] In fact, its original scientific name, Bufo exsul, means "exiled toad", which refers to its species' isolation in a tiny spot in the high desert wilderness of the Californian Great Basin.

[1] Deep Springs College continues a program to care for the wild population of this species, and owns much of the land where its habitat is found.

[11] The toad's primary habitat is watercourses, irrigation ditches, and marshes (grass, sedge, dwarf bulrush, and watercress) formed by waterflow from springs, surrounded by cold desert steppe.

[13] Black toad adults prefer habitats with short plant cover and unobstructed access to still or slowly flowing water.

[12] In recent years, fencing some springs to exclude cattle has resulted in an overgrowth of vegetation requiring hand cutting to keep the habitat accessible for toads.