Results: Poisonous toads overrun south Florida neighborhood
Published on 03/25/2019
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Source: Daily News, and information provided by MSRCMS. Thousands of adorable but poisonous Bufo toads, which can kill pets and are dangerous to children, have invaded a suburban Florida (USA) neighborhood. Are you familiar with this story?
Yes
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258 votes
No
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1902 votes
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Which facts are you familiar with?
Known as Cane toads. They range from 6 to 9 inches in length.
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198 votes
The cane toad is a prolific breeder; females lay single-clump spawns with thousands of eggs.
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Their babies are dime-sized, and these creatures hop around in droves.
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98 votes
These invasive amphibians were first introduced to south Florida from their native Central and South America as pest control in sugar cane fields.
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138 votes
The cane toad is now considered a pest and an invasive species in many of its introduced regions.
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178 votes
When this non-native species is threatened or handled, it secretes a highly toxic milky substance from its large parotoid glands at the back of its head (behind the ears).
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147 votes
Particular concern is its toxic skin, which kills many animals (wild and domesticated cats/dogs). Cane toads are particularly dangerous to dogs if ingested.
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198 votes
The secretion can burn your eyes, and may irritate your skin. The secretion can be especially harmful to children.
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137 votes
All of the above.
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None of the above.
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Luckily there's an outfit called Toad Busters ready to come to the rescue for the Florida residents and their pets. A mild winter has made the breeding season more fruitful for the cane toads. Do you live in south Florida where the toads are invading suburban neighborhoods?
Yes
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98 votes
No
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1429 votes
Not Applicable
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633 votes
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"Right now, it's the season for them," said Amy Kight (executive director of the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter). "In spring and summer, we have more rain, so it's just more conducive to the breeding of them. Because it stays lighter longer, people are staying outside more. When dusk is coming around, the frogs are starting to emerge for the night. People are still out and doing things with their pets, so there are more encounters with them." If you do live in Florida; have you, a family member, or your pets been in contact (via by secretion) with these poisonous frogs?
Yes
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77 votes
No
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Not Applicable
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1521 votes
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