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Cane Toads Inexorable March Across Australia Decimating Wildlife13/03/2008 14:37:46Last Chance for Western Australia Cane toads are slowly, but seemingly unstoppingly, making their way westwards across Australia. They are on the brink of crossing a key watershed. Once crossed, they will be travelling downhill, and with the flow of the streams and rivers. Thus far they have proved impossible to stop while travelling uphill, against the flow of the rivers, so it is feared that once across the watershed, their spread will be much quicker. So the whole of Western Australia will soon become very vulnerable to the scourge that is the cane toad.  In Australia, cane toads have no natural enemies. Their toxin can kill most native animals that normally eat frogs. They therefore pose a major risk to native fauna. Cane toads can use a wide variety of habitats and thrive in urban and disturbed areas. They have a voracious appetite and can eat a lot of different foods. They also breed quickly, allowing them to rapidly colonise and dominate an area. These abilities give cane toads a competitive advantage over native species. Native frogs control insects that may otherwise become pests and are in turn food for many native animals. Populations of many native frogs have declined severely in recent times and some species are threatened with extinction. Spread of the cane toad may increase these threats. Kimberley Toad Busters The Kimberley Toad Busters Inc. are the only truly totally volunteer group on the ground fighting to stop the toad from crossing into Western Australia. For the first time in 72 years, a totally volunteer force, with the help of the Department of Environment and Conservation field team have the ability to 'slow' the cane toad front line while the National Government and scientists find a 'biological' solution to the relentless march of the cane toad. Kimberley Toad Busters is as much about gathering scientific data as it is about 'busting' toads. 200,000 Cane Toads Kileld To date, The Kimberley Toad Busters have killed some 200,000 cane toads, and several million toadspawn have been destroyed. To find out more aboute the Kimberley Toad Busters, click here.
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