Cane Toad

Fascinating facts about the Cane Toad

• Dr. Steve Wilson, a biologist, has tracked Cane Toads migrating up to 1.8 km in a single night, with some individuals covering distances of over 3 km in a week, as they search for food and suitable habitats.
• In the tropical rainforest, a single Cane Toad can eat around 1,000 insects and worms in a night, which helps to regulate the local ecosystem and prevent insect populations from getting out of control.
• Cane Toads have a powerful toxin called bufotoxin on their skin, which can be deadly to many predators, including dogs and cats, and can even cause human skin irritation, making them a formidable creature in their native habitat.
• Native to Central and South America, Cane Toads have been introduced to over 40 countries, including Australia and the Philippines, as a form of biological pest control, with some populations growing to over 200 million individuals in the wild.
• Despite being listed as 'Least Concern' on the conservation status list, Cane Toads are having a significant impact on the ecosystems they invade, with a study in 2019 finding that they can reduce the population of native snakes by up to 90% in some areas, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and management of their populations.

At a glance

About the Cane Toad

In the moonlit wetlands, a most unlikely conqueror emerges, the cane toad, its warty skin glistening with dew as it moves with a slow, deliberate gait, leaving a trail of transformation in its wake. With a voracious appetite and a toxic defense, this unassuming amphibian has insinuated itself into the ecosystems of the tropical world, its remarkable adaptability and resilience allowing it to thrive in even the most inhospitable of environments. As it hops through the underbrush, its deep, resonant call echoes through the night, a testament to the enduring power of this humble, yet formidable, creature.

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