Thousands of toxic toads have invaded a community in Florida, leaving some residents worried the tiny poisonous creatures will “take over the neighbourhood.”
For the last two weeks, bufo toads, also known as cane toads, have plagued a Palm Beach Gardens community, appearing in pools, sidewalks and on neighbourhood streets.
“I just see a massive amount of toads or frogs everywhere,” a resident told CBS Miami. “You can’t even walk through the grass without stepping on one; they’re covering people’s driveways.”
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The toads, which are not native to the area, may pose a risk to small animals and children because of the toxins they secrete.
“I’m worried about people’s pets, they’re saying the babies will die off,” another resident told WPTV News. “I’m concerned if that’s actually true or if they’re going to turn to adult bufo toads and take over the neighbourhood.”
Mark Holladay of the pest removal service Toad Busters told the news station that recent rains coupled with warm temperatures sent the amphibians into a breeding cycle.
“With the warmer winter and then we had a rain two to three weeks ago, a torrential rain, that caused them to go into a breeding cycle,” Holladay said. “They’re not safe for pets or children. If a pet was to ingest too many of them, even at that small size, it would cause a problem.”
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Photos show the small toads clogging backyard pool filters, amassing on patios and hoping across sidewalks and roadways.
Holladay told CBS Miami that residents can anticipate another wave of the poisonous critters in the coming weeks, when more eggs are expected to hatch.