Hopping Surprise As Family Arrive Home From Holiday

A family coming back from a dream trip to Thailand were astonished when they found a toad had hopped a lift in their suitcase.

The family had been unpacking at their home in Barcelona, Spain, when they found the reptile in their luggage as they were unpacking.

Wildlife experts identified the beast as the toxic Asian common toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) which secretes poison from special glands to deter predators.

The highly adaptable toad has invaded huge areas of Southeast Asia and in Australia is one of the ten most unwanted species.

Although it is used to living in tropical climates, it adapts quickly to other environments.

For this reason, it is important to control it since it has an invasive potential due to its adaptability, according to experts.

Biologists at the Catalonia Amphibian and Reptile Recovery Center are studying the toad in a special isolation unit before sending it home.

One expert warned local media: “If you detect that you are mistakenly carrying a non-native species, do not release it into the natural environment.”

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