Meet our awesome new Frog of the Week: the Cane toad! Commonly known as the Giant or Marine toad, this amphibian is one of the largest toads in North America, capable of reaching average lengths of 7 inches!
Cane Toads can be found naturally from the Amazon River Basin of South America to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and they are generally found near water but can also be found around houses and in gardens. Ambush hunters, they mostly feed at night- especially when it’s humid outside, and hide by day under rocks, burrows and other objects.
Cool Facts:
- The call of a Cane toad is a low-pitched rattling trill that lasts about 4-6 seconds. A larger Cane Toad will have a noticeably deeper and more resonant sound than a smaller one. Almost like an old one-cylinder engine puttering in the distance!
- Cane toads were originally introduced in warmer regions of the world to control sugar cane beetles. They adapted so well they are now considered pests, threatening the survival of native species.
- These toads secrete a poison from their large paratoid glands behind their ears – a poison so potent that it can kill pets that attempt to eat them!
Meet Adventure Aquarium’s Cane Toads in KidZone (Zone C) during Frogs: Nature’s Messenger, now through April 27.
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