This species is monitored by FWC.
Early spring months bring a re-emergence of cane toads to Southwest Florida. While these non-native, invasive amphibians can breed any time of the year, they tend to show themselves more often during the evenings of spring and summer. Native to South America, the cane toad was originally introduced to Florida in the 1930’s and 40’s in an attempt to control agricultural pests in sugar cane fields, and the pet trade contributed with releases and escapees during the 1950’s and 60’s. The cane toad, unfortunately, is now here to stay.
Cane toads have a big appetite and are capable of eating just about anything they can fit into their mouths. It is quite likely that this insatiable hunger is what made them an attractive choice for pest control to begin with. Unfortunately, that very trait is now posing a threat to our native wildlife, and results in them being attracted to our homes when pet food/feces or garbage is left out. It is not uncommon to see a cane toad eating right out of the dog food bowl left on a porch. This increases the risk for a toad-pet interaction. Cane toads are not aggressive, but they have enlarged parotoid glands on their neck and shoulder region that produce a bufotoxin, that when ingested, is highly toxic. This substance is released as a defense mechanism that can severely injure or even kill an animal that licks or bites them – including pets.
Prevention is the best way to avoid an unfortunate and possibly fatal interaction involving your pet. Always keep your dog on a leash when walking them outside, especially on warm evenings and after rain, and make your yard less toad-friendly by removing any attractants such as food, or debris piles where toads can hide. Also keep the number of your local emergency veterinarian handy in case a poisoning occurs and you must act quickly.
Please watch the video below to learn more about tips for prevention of toad-pet interactions and properly identifying the symptoms of cane toad poisoning:
There are other toad species native to southwest Florida. The southern toad (Anaxyrus terrestris) is the species most likely to be misidentified as the cane toad. Before you remove a toad from your property please be sure it is properly identified as a cane toad. Southern toads occupy the same habitats and have been known to reach a length of 4 inches. Once they reach around an inch and a half in length southern toads display small ridges or crests on their heads that the cane toads never have, making it a good identifying feature to distinguish the species. The best way to avoid any chance of mistaken identity would be to only remove those that exceed the length when these crests would be visible. It is almost impossible to distinguish the 2 species when they are at any other life stage (eggs, tadpoles) or smaller in size.
Please watch the video below for helpful information on how to properly identify a cane toad:
We will never eradicate this species from our ecosystem. Therefore learning to properly identify them, remove them from areas without harming native animals, and learning to live with them safely will all be important steps in protecting our pets and our wildlife.
The link below gives recommendations regarding the humane euthanasia of cane toads. Euthanasia is sometimes necessary for the safety of pets and the good of local wildlife. The methods discussed on this video are supported by the best available science to date and is the most appropriate way of killing these animals to ensure they do not feel pain. It is unethical to enhance the spread of cane toads by relocating them from one location to another.
Conservancy scientists, in collaboration with research partners, have learned that Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in Southwest Florida often make use of burrows constructed by large, native wildlife.
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Florida Wildlife Commission and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida are working together to train natural resource workers, who may encounter Burmese pythons in the field, how to safely capture them.
The Kemp's ridley turtle is considered the most endangered sea turtle species in the world and also happens to be the most common sea turtle residing in the nearshore waters of Southwest Florida.