Cane toad

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Onglets

Description

Distinguishing features

The cane toad (Rhinella marina) is among the largest terrestrial amphibians. Its golden eyes with horizontal pupils and stocky body make it easy to recognize. Native to tropical regions, it has rough skin, brownish to olive in colour, covered with warts.

Its parotoid glands, located behind the eyes, are highly prominent and can secrete a powerful toxin.

Reproduction

The reaching age of sexual maturity depends heavily on temperature, latitude, and altitude. High temperatures and unseasonal environments favor the growth rate. During periods of heavy rainfall, males call from temporary pools to attract females. Reproduction is remarkable: each female can lay up to 30,000 eggs, which form long gelatinous strands.

The tadpoles develop quickly, sometimes within just a few weeks, depending on temperature and water availability. The parents provide no care for their offspring.

Juvenile mortality is very high. Out of 10,000 eggs laid, only about 50 toads survive to adulthood.

Diet

Omnivorous and highly opportunistic, the cane toad consumes a wide variety of prey: insects, worms, small vertebrates, plant matter, and even organic waste. It hunts mainly by ambush, capturing its prey with its sticky tongue. This varied diet allows it to adapt to many environments.

The cane toad also exhibits cannibalistic behaviour, particularly among tadpoles. They may feed on eggs or younger tadpoles, especially under conditions of high density or environmental stress.

Adults, too, may consume tadpoles and even juveniles of their own species, with very young toads seen as a source of food. This behaviour increases the chances of survival for the strongest individuals during periods of intense competition for resources.

Predators

The adults have few natural enemies because of their size and toxic secretions. Young toads, however, are eaten by a variety of animals.

Some snakes, birds, and mammals have developed a resistance to the toxin or avoid the poisonous parts of the adults.

Habitat

Native to Central America and northern South America, the cane toad naturally inhabits tropical forests, wet savannas, and open areas. It is flexible in its choice of habitat and adapts easily to disturbed environments, which helps explain its success in human-modified landscapes.

Its global spread is the result of deliberate human introductions. Beginning in the 1930s, it was released in several tropical and subtropical regions and countries—including Australia, the Philippines, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Florida—to control crop pests such as sugarcane beetles. This strategy proved ineffective, as the toad did not target the intended insects, and it led to a major biological invasion.

Today, Rhinella marina is found on several continents and has adapted to a wide range of habitats. It thrives especially in human-modified environments: agricultural areas, gardens, ditches, roadsides, vacant lots, and suburban landscapes. It tolerates drought well, breeds in artificial water bodies, and takes advantage of urban lights to hunt insects attracted to them.

Ecology, behaviour

The cane toad is primarily nocturnal and terrestrial. It plays an ambiguous ecological role. In its native range, it is useful for regulating populations of insects and other terrestrial invertebrates, but in the regions where it has been introduced, it becomes disruptive. It is then considered an invasive species, as it destabilizes local ecosystems.

Its toxicity poses a risk to native wildlife, and its prolific reproduction can create competition with local species. Once established, it is very difficult to eradicate. Control efforts therefore focus mainly on limiting its spread and protecting vulnerable native species.

To curb the expansion of this species, traps, baits, and physical barriers are most commonly used. Scientists are currently studying more targeted approaches, such as pheromones to lure tadpoles into traps or genetic modifications to reduce reproduction. However, these methods remain experimental and raise both ethical and ecological concerns.

French name

Crapaud buffle

Scientific name

Rhinella marina

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Amphibia (Batracia)

Order

Anura

Family

Bufonidae

Size

Average length of male: 10 cm; average length of female: 12 cm

Weight

120 g

Life span

15 years

Status

Least Concern

At the Biodôme

The cane toad can be found throughout the Biodôme’s Tropical Rainforest. Well hidden in dark corners during the day, it comes out at night in search of food.

The most recent counts indicate a stable population of about 200 individuals living in the ecosystem. They are not fed, as they find everything they need in the different habitats of the ecosystem. This makes the cane toad one of the species that lives, reproduces, and sustains itself naturally within our facilities.

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