Group discovers giant toxic toad

AN environmental group dedicated to wiping out a toxic toad species that has killed countless Australian animals has captured a “monster” specimen the size of a small dog.

The group, Frogwatch, found the 15-inch cane toad during a raid on a pond outside the northern city of Darwin.

Weighing nearly 2lb, the toad is among the largest ever captured in Australia.

The poisonous toads have proved fatal to Australia’s delicate ecosystems, killing millions of native animals from snakes to the small crocodiles that eat them. Frogwatch makes regular raids, scooping toads up by the dozen. They are rendered non-toxic and made into fertiliser.