Grey nomads are being urged to do their bit to stop – or at least slow – the march of the dreaded cane toad.
The creature – which was originally released in Gordonvale, Quensland, by scientists attempting to control pest beetles in the sugar cane industry – has since wreaked havoc on the ecosystems of Australia’s north … and has now spread west and south to cover one third of Australia.
Ecologists warn that, unless stopped, cane toads will colonise Perth. They may even infest areas as far south as Margaret River and Esperance.
The toad reached WA’s Kimberley area in 2009 and is present in and around Kununurra, with breeding occurring in irrigation areas.
Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) wildlife officer Cameron Craigie said people travelling south from places where the invasive pests are known to live should check their vehicles for ‘hitchiker toads’.
“They can hide in small spaces so inspect your vehicles, luggage, camping gear and caravans,” he said.
Earlier this week, a Kununurra cane toad was found dead in Perth after it made the mistake of hitching a ride inside a refrigerated truck. The creature found the four-day trip too cold to handle.
The DEC encourages people not to kill suspected cane toads, as they could be harmless native frogs. They should instead isolate the animal and report the sighting to the DEC cane toad hotline on 1800 44 WILD (9453).
Have you ever found an unwanted ‘hitchiker’? What is the most unexpected place you have seen a toad? Can they be stopped? Comment below.
they were released for cane beetles but not by scientists they actually opposed it a loophole where some one with little or no knowledge of biocontrol could approve happened. Well meaning but uninformed no specificity testing occured