The giant toad, scientifically known as Bufo marinus, was introduced to Australia 70 years ago to combat pests affecting sugar cane. However, it has now become a significant threat to the local flora and fauna due to its rapid and excessive population growth, according to the February 16 issue of the journal Nature.
This toad species has yellow skin and can weigh up to 2 kg, making it the largest amphibian in the world, originally from the Antilles. It is toxic, lays between 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per year, and is also known as the cane toad.
According to a research team led by zoologist Richard Shine from the University of Sydney, the first cane toads were introduced into Australia to control insect pests in sugar cane fields. However, their large legs allowed them to quickly expand into new territories. Numerous studies have shown that the cane toad has spread over an area of more than 1,000 square kilometers, attacking local animal populations and leading to the extinction of various amphibian species, reptiles, and even rodents in areas where they are present.
Scientists have even confirmed that subsequent generations of cane toads have developed longer and larger legs than their predecessors. As a result, they can travel a distance of 1.8 kilometers in just one night.
In light of the rapid morphological changes in cane toads, scientists warn that they will quickly dominate new territories, subsequently attacking local wildlife, and that the imbalance of the local ecosystem is only a matter of time.
DUC TRUONG
