2004-12-08 - 3:38 p.m.
So I am staring at an enormous toad.
Its a Bufo Marinus no less. Commonly reffered to as the Cane Toad. The disgusting poisonous toad that affected more than a few years of my life whilst I was in Queensland growing up. I heard today that the Red Bellied black snake, one of Australia's many killer snakes, has evolved around the big ugly bastard.
Without any predators in Australia, the toad is flourishing and killing anything that eats it. Cats, dogs, lovely big lizards and, of course, snakes. The red bellied black snake has, over 25 generations (it's life span is about 3 years) evolved itself smaller so it can't swallow them.
Isn't it wonderful that such a killer snake has naturally selected a way to not get killed so it can kill more? Love those Aussie battlers!
Where I lived, the toads used to congregate around the street lights in our wee suburb. My friends and I would stun them (using our specially medicated devices - our shoes!) and gather them in a big bag then line them up on the hi-way for semi-trailers to run over.
EEEEW.
Oh the heady days of youth.
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