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 3 to 6 weeks.