In recent news, an environmental group set out to eradicate toxic toads that have been killing its fair share of wildlife stumbled upon a huge discovery (no pun intended). It seems that they have discovered a rather giant-sized toad that resembles the size of a small canine. When held, the body has been described as the size of a football and weight close to 2 pounds. In Australia, this would make the largest specimen of its kind to be captured in the country. In this article, you will learn more about the toad and other curious facts about this type of amphibian.
Onlookers who had a chance to catch sight of the large toad described it as “huge.” The reason why such a sight of this magnitude began to make headlines was because the largest of this species of toad is usually a title held by the females. The specimen uncovered was a male.
The toad was found by members of “Frogwatch,” who have spent a great amount of time destroying a species of toad that is responsible for a lot of damage to the Australian ecosystem. This is when the group came across the cane toad, which measured an impressive 15 inches long. He was found meandering about a pond located outside of the northern city of Darwin. Cane toads came from South America (as an import) during the 1930s in an effort to solve the beetle problem that ravished the sugar cane plantations situated in the north. This effort was unsuccessful.
Instead, the toads wreaked havoc and killed many native creatures, including small crocodiles and snakes. All of this occurs when they are mistaken for a healthy piece of food. The project dedicated to giving wildlife a bit of a breather involves a lot of raids on local ponds and other watering holes. Members enter the area, blind the toads with a bright light, and then pick them up. They are then killed with the use of carbon dioxide gas, where they are then transported into a big freezer. The last stage of their demise occurs when they are sent through a liquid fertilizer process. As a result, the toxins are destroyed. To pay homage to the toad, below you will find some interesting facts regarding this critter.
* In Britain, there are only two kinds of toads: the Common Toad (Bufo Bufo), which displays brown skin covered in warts, and the Natterjack Toad (Bufo Calamita), which is quite a find because it is rare. This toad is gray and green in color and displays a unique yellow stripe located down the center of its back.
*Common toads are the only species that has protection under United Kingdom law preventing people from selling them.
*If you are interested in catching sight of the Natterjack Toad, you should head for Solway Firth in Scotland.
*
When the common toad lives in the wild, it faces a life span of about 10 to 12 years. If they are captured and live as a pet, they can survive for up to 40 years.
*
Spadefoot toads have a bit of weatherman in them. Before a rainstorm hits an area, they gather by the hundreds and “croak up a storm” (no pun intended).