Accidental Tourists

Humans have released cane toads throughout the warmer regions of the world, often in an attempt to control insects such as sugar cane beetles. But cane toads adapt to new surroundings quickly and often out-compete native wildlife. They are now pests in Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Australia, and other semitropical locations. Introduced plants and animals are the second greatest threat to wildlife worldwide.

© USGS

Cane Toad

Bufo marinus

Class: Amphibia
Family: Bufonidae
Size: Up to 10 inches long; 4 pounds
Food: Earthworms, fish, crickets, mice
Range: Central and South America--introduced worldwide in the tropics
Habitat: Varied; rainforests, grasslands, floodplains, cultivated fields
Life Cycle: Females lay 30,000 or more eggs in long strings. The eggs hatch in several days and metamorphosis takes three to six weeks.