A cane toad so large its been nicknamed 'Toadzilla' has been discovered by rangers in a north Queensland rainforest! Let’s learn more about this record-breaking, mammoth amphibian.
Image: Queensland Government
Rangers Couldn’t Believe How Heavy This Cane Toad Was!
Rangers undergoing track work in Conway National Park, near Airlie Beach Queensland, were stunned to find a football-sized cane toad beside the Conway Circuit! Ranger Kylee Gray said a snake slithering across the track forced them to stop their vehicle, and when she stepped out and looked down, she gasped when she saw the gigantic cane toad.
“I reached down and grabbed the cane toad and couldn’t believe how big and heavy it was,” Ms Gray said. “We dubbed it ‘Toadzilla’, and quickly put it into a container so we could remove it from the wild. A cane toad that size will eat anything it can fit into its mouth, and that includes insects, reptiles and small mammals.” — yikes!
Toadzilla Weighed In At A Tremendous 2.7kg!
The rangers hypothesized that it was a female, given that female cane toads are generally larger than males. Upon returning to their base, they carefully weighed the toad and were astounded to find that it weighed a whopping 2.7kg! This individual toad could potentially be a new record holder, and its size could provide valuable insights into the cane toads of the area.
She was found at an elevation of 393m, which isn’t unusual, but she has created a lot of interest among the ranger staff due to her size. Cane toads of over 2.5kg are considered quite rare. Rangers aren’t certain how old she is, but cane toads can live up to 15 years in the wild – so this one is assumed to have been around a long time!
Image: WWF
Facts About Cane Toads In Australia!
Cane toads are tough, heavily built amphibians that have developed a bad reputation in Australia. But what are these deadly cane toads all about, and how did they get to the land down under Here are some facts!
- Cane toads are native to South and mainland Central America
- Cane toads were introduced to Australia in 1935
- Cane toads carry a milky-white toxin (bufotoxin)
- They’re toxic at all life stages - from eggs to adults
- There are an estimated 200 million cane toads in Australia
- They’re tough and highly adaptable
- They can lay up to 30,000 eggs twice a year
- Cane toads eat almost anything
- They’re on track to reach all the way to the WA coast in two years
- WWF-Australia is working to help save Australian native species from the cane toad invasion
This mammoth cane toad is now heading to The Queensland Museum, as she might be the largest on record!
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