dangerous invasive species

The cane toad or giant toad is an amphibian (can live on land and in water), poisonous and large that inhabits Central and South America. Its size is greater than other species of its family, it measures on average around 10 to 15 cm.

Its physical characteristics are similar to those of other toads, with warty and wrinkled skin that is brown, gray, olive green, or red-brown. Both the belly and the upper part of the body can have dark spots in shades of black or brown.

Their large bulging eyes have vertically oriented pupils and gold or yellow irises. Behind each eye is a large parotoid gland, an organ that is responsible for producing poisonous substances.

Fun facts

• The cane toad is not the most poisonous, but it is dangerous for the species in some places where it has been introduced.
• It is an omnivorous animal, so it eats insects, plants, carrion, and other debris it finds.
• The cane toad not only uses its sight to detect its prey, as other amphibians do, but also uses its sense of smell.
• It has a great capacity for adaptation, so it can live in almost any type of environment.
• The largest known specimen was almost 40 cm long and weighed more than 2.5 kg.
• Due to its voracious appetite, the cane toad has been attempted for pest control in some places. But in most cases the toad itself has become a pest. This is because it reproduces uncontrollably at a fast rate and poisons the local fauna.
• The females can deposit between 4,000 and 30,000 eggs per spawning and do so at least twice a year. They reproduce in any space where there is enough water.