Eyes in the Mouth: Nature’s Strangest Anomaly Discovered in a Canadian Backyard

In 1992, the natural world revealed one of its most astonishing oddities when photographer Scott Gardner stumbled upon a toad unlike any other — a toad with eyes inside its mouth. Found in a quiet backyard in Burlington County, Ontario, this bizarre amphibian defied conventional biology and stunned scientists and nature lovers alike.

Unlike the typical placement on the top of the head, the toad’s eyes were embedded just below the roof of its mouth — a rare macromutation likely caused during its embryonic development. To survive, the toad had to keep its mouth constantly open, an adaptation that would seem unlivable for most creatures. Yet, against all odds, it managed to lead a surprisingly normal life.

Despite its unusual appearance, the toad fed, hopped, and behaved in many ways like its peers, offering a remarkable testament to nature’s resilience and unpredictability. Gardner’s chance discovery, immortalized in a photo published by The Hamilton Spectator, quickly drew attention from biologists and curious minds across the world.

This peculiar case reminds us that nature is full of surprises — some strange, some beautiful, and many still waiting to be discovered. As Gardner’s lens captured in a single, surreal image, the natural world never ceases to amaze.