# Cane Toad — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Rhinella marina*

> The cane toad is a large, warty terrestrial toad native to the Americas, reaching up to 1 kg (2.2 lb). It secretes a powerful toxin from glands on its shoulders and is famous as a destructive invasive species in Australia, where it was introduced in 1935.

**IUCN status:** Least Concern  ·  **WARN range:** North America, South America

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Rhinella marina |
| Diet | Omnivore (insects, small animals, scraps) |
| Habitat | Grassland, woodland, gardens, wetlands |
| Lifespan | 10–15 years in the wild |
| Weight | Up to 1 kg (2.2 lb) |
| Size | 10–15 cm (4–6 in), sometimes larger |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Amphibia
- **Order:** Anura
- **Family:** Bufonidae
- **Genus:** Rhinella

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Least Concern (IUCN Red List category)
- **Population:** Global population not compiled for this guide
- **Trend:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **Assessed:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **CITES:** See CITES appendices
- Conservation figures are drawn from the IUCN Red List and CITES; this guide links to the authoritative sources rather than restating population counts.

## Key facts: Cane Toad
- Cane toads are mostly active at night and are not shy of human settlements, often gathering under lights to catch insects.
- Unusually for amphibians, cane toads are opportunistic omnivores.
- The cane toad is native to the southern United States, Central America, and northern South America.

## Behavior and toxicity
Cane toads are mostly active at night and are not shy of human settlements, often gathering under lights to catch insects. Their main defense is bufotoxin, a potent poison stored in the large parotoid glands behind the eyes. Predators that bite or swallow a cane toad can be sickened or killed, which is why the species is so damaging where native animals have no resistance.

## Diet and feeding
Unusually for amphibians, cane toads are opportunistic omnivores. They eat beetles, ants, and other insects, but also small reptiles, frogs, rodents, and even pet food or kitchen scraps. This flexible diet helps them thrive in disturbed and human-modified habitats.

## Habitat and range
The cane toad is native to the southern United States, Central America, and northern South America. It was deliberately introduced to many regions, most infamously to Australia in 1935 to control sugarcane beetles. There it spread rapidly and became one of the country's worst invasive species.

## Conservation
In its native range the cane toad is listed as Least Concern and is not threatened. The conservation concern is the opposite: where it has been introduced, it poisons native predators and disrupts ecosystems. Management focuses on limiting its spread and protecting vulnerable native wildlife.

## What WARN does
WARN does not run a dedicated cane toad programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The cane toad is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the cane toad supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.

## Frequently asked questions: Cane Toad
### Are cane toads poisonous?
Yes. Cane toads secrete a powerful toxin called bufotoxin from glands behind their eyes. It can sicken or kill predators and pets that bite or swallow the toad.

### Why are cane toads a problem in Australia?
Cane toads were introduced to Australia in 1935 to control crop pests but instead spread widely. Their toxin kills native predators that have no resistance, making them one of Australia's most damaging invasive species.

### What do cane toads eat?
Cane toads are omnivores. They eat insects such as beetles and ants, as well as small reptiles, frogs, rodents, and even pet food or scraps.

### How big do cane toads get?
Cane toads commonly reach 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) and can weigh up to about 1 kg (2.2 lb), making them one of the largest toads in the world.

### How long do cane toads live?
In the wild cane toads typically live 10 to 15 years, and they can live even longer in captivity.

### Where do cane toads live?
Cane toads occupy grassland, woodland, gardens and wetlands across the southern United States, Central America and northern South America. They thrive in disturbed and human-modified habitats, often gathering under lights at night to catch insects.

### Are cane toads dangerous?
Cane toads are dangerous to predators and pets that bite them, because bufotoxin from the shoulder glands can sicken or kill animals with no resistance. This is why their spread through Australia has devastated native predators since the 1935 introduction.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Rhinella marina](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Rhinella%20marina&searchType=species)
- [Wikipedia — Cane Toad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toad)
- [Wikidata — Cane Toad](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q321087)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cane-toad