Cane toads come from South America
They were brought to Australia in 1935
They were brought to eat beetles that were eating sugar cane
Cane toads are now a pest
Where did cane toads come from?
Cane toads are a species of South American toad. They were introduced to Queensland, in 1935 to eat beetles that were destroying the sugar cane.
Cane toads live on the ground and can travel long distances because they do not need to live near water. They don't drink, but rather absorb water through the skin on their bellies.
They adapted so well to Australia that they became feral. At first, cane toads were confined to northern Queensland, but have now spread south and west across Australia.
What cane toads look like
Cane toads can grow to be 23 centimetres long. They can weigh up to 1.25 kilograms. They vary in colour from dull green to tan. They are very warty!
Life cycle of cane toads
Female cane toads can lay up to 30 000 eggs in a season. The eggs hatch in two or three days and the tadpole stage lasts between four and eight weeks. The toadlets can reach adult size within a year.
Cane toads are omnivorous, (say om-niv-or-us) which means they eat almost anything. They forage for food at night, looking for insects and snails.
They can live for about 15 years.
Cane toad. Image©Dreamstime
Cane toads are pests
Cane toads are poisonous to anything that touches or eats them. The poison comes from glands on either side of the toad's head. Cats and dogs may die after eating a cane toad. Native birds and animals can die after eating a cane toad or the dead body of one.
Cane toads are a danger to small native animals and native plants because they eat them, and they eat the food needed by native animals.
Read more and watch a video on each of these sites
http://australianmuseum.net.au/cane-toad
https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/10-facts-about-cane-toads?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4omaBhDqARIsADXULuXC3AQQhjI-ZfH_jUObjgXY6SUEXhFEijKq_1zMAahU4lpdqrO1WGYaAkLAEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#gs.em3niy