When I first moved to Hawaii and was just getting acquainted with the flora and fauna, I had no idea there were toads here. So imagine my surprise when I went to grab a flower pot sitting in my front yard and there was this GINORMOUS toad in it, burrowed in the soil. I mean BIG. The biggest toad I had ever seen. Scared the dickens out of me. So the first thing I did was get on google, and searched for "giant toad, Hawaii." And sure enough, I found him. Bufo marinus, aka cane toad and giant toad, in all his warty glory. Aquatic in the larval stage, terrestrial as an adult, this true toad does not have a marine habitat at all, though Linneaus thought so when he named them. The cane toad was brought to Hawaii in the early 1930's to help curb the destruction of sugar cane by the cane beetle. And that's not all they eat: small birds, lizards, invertebrates, whatever's on the menu. They are hoppers and walkers, not leapers, like frogs. They are most active at night and are fond of areas disturbed by humans, such as yards and ditches. Ah, but here's the rub: behind each ear they have glands that secrete a white, sticky, bufotoxin, which is highly toxic and dangerous to pets that may be overly curious. I was worried that my cats might mess with Buford, the name I gave to the bufo that took up residence in my flower pot for a time, but no harm came to them. Luckily, curiosity did NOT get the cat.
5 Comments
6/2/2013 12:51:23 pm
I love all this great information and the play on words makes it fun and memorable! Love it... looks great!
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zion
7/1/2013 05:45:16 am
cool
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Anne
8/28/2020 02:10:42 pm
I love your website. I just stumbled on it when looking for info on kaunaoa, native dodder. Thanks
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Bob B
9/23/2023 11:04:06 am
We recently visited the island of Lanai and I ventured into the backyard of our vacation rental. There in the driveway I stumbled across a huge frog. I thought that it may have been a cast iron figure, given that the size was way larger than frogs should ever be. I went for my camera and point to it toward the driveway. But by this time there was nothing there. Never knew cast iron could move so quick.
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