Amphibians, features and articles | Educational Science

Jan 20, 2023

'Monster cane toad' dubbed 'Toadzilla' found in Australia

A jumbo-size cane toad (Rhinella marina) captured in Queensland, Australia, has tipped the scales at a whopping 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms), earning it the nickname Toadzilla and likely making it the largest example of the species on record. Rangers stumbled upon the hefty amphibian on Jan. 19 in Conway National...

Jan 11, 2024

Annual cane toad kill-a-thon is about to start in Australia. Here's how to eliminate the pests humanely.

Australia is about to embark on a massive annual cane toad killing spree — known as the Great Cane Toad Bust — to put a dent in the numbers of this invasive pest. Now, scientists are proposing a humane method to purge the toxic toads. Instead of bludgeoning cane toads...

Feb 15, 2006

Toxic Toads Evolve Long Legs and Take Over Australia

Toxic toads bound across the northern tropics of Australia faster than ever, thanks to the evolution of longer legs in the few short decades since humans introduced them to their own little paradise. Cane toads (Bufo marinus) were first brought in from Hawaii in 1935 to control the spread of...

Jul 17, 2006

Invasive Strategy: Toads Hit the Road

In jokes, the chicken only crosses the road. In Australia, cane toads use roads to travel. A new study finds that the invasive creatures are using roads to hasten their spread across the continent. The toads take shelter overnight close to the open corridors, then hit the road each evening...

Snake Eats Toxic Toad <i>and</i> Steals its Poison

Jan 29, 2007

Snake Eats Toxic Toad and Steals its Poison

The Asian snake Rhabdophis tigrinus is one tough customer. Not only can it swallow toxic toads and live to tell. It also uses the toad’s poison for its own defense, new research shows. And rather than deploying the toxin, the snake uses it as the biological equivalent of waving a...

Jul 22, 2009

New Species of Horny Toad Identified in California

A meticulous review of genetic, anatomical and ecological information has identified two new species of horned lizards, also known as horny toads, in California. The findings mean what was thought to be one species is actually three. And that has implications for how the creatures should be viewed in conservation...

Feb 4, 2010

7 Terrific Toad Survival Tactics

They're everywhere! Toads have been able to populate most of the world's continents in the relative blink of an eye. Now scientists have figured out seven factors responsible for the toads' success. Toads (officially, Bufonidae) originated in the tropics of South America, but fanned out across most of the world...

Mar 30, 2010

Toads Anticipate Earthquakes

Predicting an earthquake is notoriously difficult, yet before the ground shakes, some animals reportedly jump into action, from birds flying in unusual directions to dogs becoming restless during those pre-quake hours to days. Most of these tales, however, aren't backed up by scientific data, until now. Breeding toads might be...

Apr 13, 2010

Deadly Cane Toad Is Marsupial's Last Supper

A cat-sized marsupial called a quoll has a habit of feasting on toxic cane toads. The noxious nibbling ends in more than a tummy ache – it actually kills the quoll. Now, scientists have trained the creatures to turn their noses up at the once tempting meals. While animals tend...

Jun 24, 2010

Cane Toads Invade, Conquer Australia

When beetles began devouring sugar cane fields in Queensland, Australia, in the 1930s, farmers got desperate. Nasty, primitive pesticides were a last resort, so they explored other options. Tales quickly spread of a toad that loved nothing more than to dine on cane beetles. The thinking went that a few...

Jul 2, 2010

Invasive Cane Toads to Thrive In Warmer World

As the planet gets warmer, cane toads — an invasive species that has taken over Australia — will get happier, a new study suggests. The cane toad might be just one of the lucky species expected to flourish as temperatures increase, a situation expected to spell doom for many plants...

Jul 8, 2010

Inflatable Toads Thwart Sex

When grasped by a male they do not want to have sex with, female cane toads will inflate their bodies so rival males can dislodge the unwanted suitor. Researchers recently discovered that this puffing up makes it easier for larger, more desirable male toads to knock puny, but persistent paramours...

Aug 18, 2010

Rare, Endangered Toads Flown Back to Native Habitat

One hundred of the rarest amphibians on the planet have been flown to Tanzania in an effort to reintroduce the tiny amphibians into their former habitat. The Kihansi spray toads (KST), last seen in the wild in 2004, were raised at the Bronx Zoo in New York and The Toledo...

Apr 6, 2011

Volunteers Help Toads Mate

More than 100 volunteers in Philadelphia are taking part in the city's third annual Toad Detour an effort to help frogs safely cross a local road in order to reach their mating ground. Held in the Roxborough neighborhood, the event helps American toads leave the forests of the 350-acre Schuylkill...

Jul 13, 2011

'Lost' Rainbow Toad Rediscovered After 87 Years

After months of scouring remote forests in Borneo, researchers spotted three rainbow toads up a tree, snapping the first-ever photographs of this elusive amphibian species that hadn't been seen for 87 years, scientists announced today (July 13). Last seen in 1924, the Bornean rainbow toad (Ansonia latidisca) had been listed...