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The Mallorcan midwife toad was described, from subfossil remains, as recently as 1977, and it was not until 1980 that some living tadpoles were recognized as belonging to this new species. Once widespread in Mallorca, now perhaps only 1000–1500 adult toads remain, in secret and remote gorges in the mountains. In order to provide a safety net, should catastrophe strike at the fragile wild populations, the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust offered to set up a captive-breeding programme for the toad. In 1985 the author set out to collect eight toads, to be the founders of the captive colony. The FFPS contributed £85 from its Oryx 100% Fund towards the expedition.