Australian Park Rangers Discover Potentially the Largest Cane Toad Ever, and then Euthanize 'Toadzilla'. Find Out Why

 Park Rangers came across what may be the largest cane toad ever discovered in nature while doing routine track work at Conway National Park in Queensland, Australia. They put it in a container, and later "humanely euthanize" it. It may end up going to the Queensland Museum. Should a rare find like this be euthanized so quickly? (The answer is found below.)

credit: Queensland Department of Environment and Science

Park Rangers got out of their vehicle to move a snake in the road near Airlie Beach in Conway National Park when Ranger Kylee Gray discovered the massive toad near the vehicle, at an elevation of 393m.

"I reached down and grabbed the cane toad and couldn't believe how big and heavy it was." -Ranger Kylee Gray 

'Toadzilla' was Removed from Conway National Park in Australia

They named the massive cane toad "Toadzilla." It weighed 2.7 kg, which is about 5.95 lbs. They believe it is female, due to the size, since female toads grow larger than males.

credit: Queensland Department of Environment and Science

They quickly removed it from the park, noting its voracious appetite.

"A cane toad that size will eat anything that it can fit into its mouth, and that includes insects, reptiles and small mammals." -Ranger Kylee Gray 

They "humanely euthanized" this potentially record-breaking cane toad. It may end up in the local museum.

"The Queensland Museum is interested in taking her, as she might be the largest one on record." -Ranger Kylee Gray  

Why was it euthanized?

Cane Toads are not Native to Australia, and are an Invasive Species

Cane toads were introduced to Australia in 1935 to control the cane beetle, but have since been identified as a threat to the ecosystem. The cane toad is poisonous to predators, and has caused the extinction of "some of their predators."

It is harmful to leave a cane toad like this in the environment.

For these reasons, this unusually large cane toad was euthanized quickly.

Source:

Queensland Department of Environment and Science. "Monster cane toad removed from the wild." Media release. 20 January 2023.