Toadzilla cane toad the size of a dinner plate is found in backyard of Darwin home

A gigantic cane toad the ‘size of a dinner plate’ has been found sheltering under a family’s trampoline. 

Claudee Rowe, who had already lost her Pomeranian after it licked one of the pests,  discovered the massive toad in her backyard in Virginia, in Darwin’s south-east on Monday afternoon.

She said recent wet weather in the Top End had forced more and more cane toads into the gardens of unsuspecting homeowners.

‘It was the fattest thing I’ve ever seen, it was huge. I’d say it’s a serving plate size,’ Ms Rowe told the NT News.

‘Being the wet season, there’s pools of water around where they can breed more freely. Obviously they breed in all the gardens we have.’

Ms Rowe said she and her partner were always keeping an eye out for the pests after losing their beloved pet dog.

She said a lot of dogs see the toads as ‘toys’ and some owners don’t know how disastrous the effects can be to animals.

‘We’ve got a Maltese now and keep it inside at all times because we don’t want to go through that again,’ she said. 

While most toads come out at night, Ms Rowe spotted the giant toad dubbed Toadzilla in her garden in the middle of the afternoon because it had been shading under the trampoline.

Cane toads are predominantly found in northern Australia in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

They are poisonous and their skin is toxic, making them a huge pest for wildlife.

Homeowners are encouraged to keep them out of their yards by bringing in any pet food, creating barriers and removing any standing water.