EDUC5464- Inquiry Process using ICT

Fact Sheet: Introduction to Cane Toads (Bufo marinas)

101 Cane toads were introduced into Queensland, Australia in 1935 from Hawaii (originally from
Central America) in a desperate but misguided effort at biological control of scarab beetle pests of
the sugar industry (Dall, 2011, p. 226).

Since then cane toads have grown in number to 200+ million and have spread to Western
Australia. Enormous effort is being put into eradicating the threat but, to date, much of the effort
has only served to hold back the inevitable advance. The Kimberley Toad Busters is a community
group committed to slowing the advance of the toad. They state that work of the Community
grouphas clearly shown that by community involvement in controlling cane toad population
numbers in a given area you minimise the chance of native predators attacking and consuming a
toad, which in turn reduces the number of native animals dying as a the direct impact of the cane
toad (Kimberley Toad Busters, n.d.).

The major damage done by the toad in Australia is due to the toads production of a
highly toxic mixture of cardiac glycoside poisons as a means of defence. All stages of the toads
life cycle are poisonous to some degree, with adult toads being highly dangerous. In adult toads
the poisons are stored in glands in the skin, particularly in the enlarged parotid glands above the
shoulders, from where they can be secreted in quantity when toads are threatened or attacked
(Dall, 2011, p. 226).

Predators that attempt to eat the toad die almost immediately. Below are some pictures that
illustrate this. In many cases the predator hasnt even had time to swallow the toad.

Source: https://d1o50x50snmhul.cloudfront.net/wp-
content/uploads/2008/06/dn14221-1_750.jpg
Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3pnZd6YoOn4/UKvwQ-
F2SiI/AAAAAAAADPQ/RPY4m4TTX7Q/s1600/snake+toad+closeup227
5.jpg

Source:
Source:https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=i
https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&
mages&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjdnOSv19LTAhUCnZQKH
cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiU_oGf2NLTAhXKmpQKHVWMAi
cXIB20QjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2
QQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newyorkhotelsmotels.info%2Fqu
011-01-18%2Fcane-toads-breeding-rapidly-in-cooper-creek-
ecinfo-cane-toads-
system%2F1909676&psig=AFQjCNEjtO9jwg0Wsf3eGstLn6hXGbzurA&
eating.html&psig=AFQjCNEOB5gz5IRNr3zFsoUKElBaq8UUvw&ust=14
ust=1493865020316491
93865335494038
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Mark Thomas 18608112
EDUC5464- Inquiry Process using ICT

In addition, the cane toad will eat just about anything that it can fit into its mouth. The photo above
shows a toad eating a native marsupial.

Native animals affected by the cane toad

Source: (Kimberley Toad Busters, n.d.)

At an environmental level, toads have, via their toxicity, massively impacted on populations of
native predators, including snakes, monitor lizards (goannas), and crocodiles.At particular risk,
however, is the endangered Northern Quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), a cat-sized marsupial predator
with restricted disjunct distributions and small populations, which has seemingly become extinct in
Kakadu National Park as a consequence of the invasion of the toad. Direct and urgent actions are
being taken to protect this species (Dall, 2011, p. 227).

The current and future spread of cane toads is shown the illustration below.

Source: (Dall, 2011, p. 227)

The economic impacts on Australia of the toad are significant and incalculable. However, without
an agreed value of the cost, understanding the economic cost is difficult. Martin suggests that
until a value is placed on the damage done by the toad there is a danger that policy responses
will remain seriously underfunded (Martin, 2015, p. 121).

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Mark Thomas 18608112