Cane Toads Research Paper

Cane toads

The cane toad, also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, land based toad which is native to South and Middle America, but has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania and the Caribbean, as well as northern Australia. Cane toads were introduced to Australia as a solution to cane beetles eating all the sugar cane crops.

Body 1
The life cycle of a cane toad is very similar to frogs and other amphibious relatives. The general life span of a wild Cane toads is 5 years but it has been known to live up to 15 years. The life cycle starts from a female laying the eggs. The females lay 30,000 eggs that are fertilised by the male after the female deposits them in the water. After the eggs are fertilized the tadpole hatches. Then small tadpoles form and get larger with algae and larvae, the tadpoles then start to form legs and lungs, when the parts have formed, the tadpoles then leave the water. The tadpoles tail then disappears when on land and they start to eat on small insects. Large toads start to breed once they have been out of the water for more than 6 months.

Body 2
Cane toads were brought to Australia to eat the cane beetles that were eating the sugar cane but the toads couldn’t climb up sugar cane stalks so instead they ate the crops. Cane toads have always been a pest in Australia because of their toxin that can kill native animals that eat frogs. The cane toad has become a pest to people and an environmental threat. In 1935, 3400 young cane toads were released around Cairns, Gordonvale and Innis-fail in far north Queensland. They were released in an attempt to control grey back beetles (also known as cane

Queensland Government, 10 Jan. 2011. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

Books
Lofts, Graeme, and Merrin J. Evergreen. "5.8." Science Quest 9 Australian Curriculum. Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia,