Potential Record-Breaking 'Toadzilla' Discovered

A potential record-breaking toad dubbed 'Toadzilla' was recently discovered by park rangers in an Australian rainforest.

The massive toad was found on January 12 as rangers were conducting track work in Conway National Park, which is located in the northeastern state of Queensland, according to a Queensland Department of Environment and Science news release shared on Friday (January 20). The toad was spotted by Ranger Kylee Gray after the team was forced to move a snake slithering across the track where their vehicle was traveling beside the Conway Circuit.

“I reached down and grabbed the cane toad and couldn’t believe how big and heavy it was,” Gray said in the news release.

“We believe it’s a female due to the size, and female cane toads do grow bigger than males,” she added.

Gray said the toad weighed 2.7 kilograms (5.95 pounds), which is more than the current record for world's largest toad at 2.65 kilograms set in March 1991, according to the Guinness World Records.

“When we returned to base, she weighed in at 2.7 kilograms, which could be a new record,” Gray said.

The rangers initially thought of naming the massive amphibian Connie after Conway National Park, but instead decided on a more fitting name to match its incredible size.

“We dubbed it Toadzilla, and quickly put it into a container so we could remove it from the wild,” Gray said.

Toadzilla is believed to be a serious threat to others if kept in the wild, according to the rangers.

“A cane toad that size will eat anything it can fit into its mouth, and that includes insects, reptiles and small mammals,” Gray said.

The giant toad was reported to be "humanely euthanized" due to threats of potential environmental damage.