Poisonous Cane Toad Moves Into North Australia

DARWIN, Australia — The poisonous cane toad--a pest that devours almost anything in its path, including lighted cigarettes--has been discovered in Australia’s far north for the first time.

The dinner-plate sized toad, introduced in Queensland to control sugar cane parasites, was discovered Wednesday in the garden of a Darwin home more than 625 miles from the infested areas.

Northern Territory Conservation Minister Steve Hatton told reporters that the toad (bufo marinus) is believed to have arrived on a vegetable truck from Queensland, where the creatures are advancing toward Australia’s center at a rate of almost 20 miles a year.