Cane Toad
The much maligned venomous cane toads earned their bad reputation shortly after being released into the Australian ecology in 1935 with the hope that they would control the destructive cane beetle population. They turned out to be failures at controlling beetles, but remarkably successful at reproducing and spreading themselves, this all may sound surreal like a movie but it is true!
About 3,000 cane toads were released in the sugar-cane plantations of north Queensland in 1935. They now number well into the millions, and their still expanding range, they cover hundreds of miles.
Cane toads are large, stocky amphibians with dry, warted skin, they are amphibians and can live for up to
5-10 years. In a group they are named a knot or a nest.
they have thrived in Australia because there are few natural predators, they breed easily, and they have abundant food, including pet food, which they steal from feeding bowls left outside of homes.
Cane toad venom is a mix of toxins that primarily affects the functioning of the heart. It is present throughout their bodies and is secreted as a milky liquid from the parotoid glands located over the toad's shoulders.
Humans still die from eating cane toads and their eggs!
Size relative to a cup:
Note: This frog is not the toad that closes up and rolls, that is the rock toad.
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