Record-Breaking 2.7kg Cane Toad Discovered in Australia

By Staff, Agencies

Park rangers in Australia may have stumbled upon the world's biggest toad.

Dubbed "Toadzilla", the 2.7kg cane toad was discovered by park ranger Kylee Gray during a patrol in Conway National Park in Queensland.

The previous Guinness World Record for the largest toad stands at 2.65kg, which was set back in 1991 by a Swedish pet.

Rangers had initially considered naming the female toad Connie after the national park, but due to her massive size "Toadzilla" was the name that eventually stuck.

It is understood that the toad was later euthanized by rangers due to its ecological impact- a fate shared by most cane toads that are found across Australia.

First introduced to the continent back in 1935 to protect crops from pests, the animals quickly multiplied and began driving out native species.

Now recognized as a "feral species" that has invaded a number of ecosystems in Australia, attempts to curtail the amphibians' invasion have largely been unsuccessful.