The Introduced Cane Toad In Australia

Ben Thompson18458800

Introduced Species

Many non-native species have have been introduced deliberately and accidentally to Australia through out our history.

Some examples include foxes, cats, carp, camels, rabbits, pigs and fire ants.

Some of these species have had positive effects on the environment and some have not.

One species that has had negative impacts on the environment is the cane toad.

Examples of Introduced Species in Australia.

The Cane ToadThe Cane Toad (Bufo Marinus) was introduced to Australia in 1935 from Hawaii.

The Cane Toad has toxic glands on its shoulders which contain toxins that affect the heart and nervous system.

The toad is toxic all the way through its life cycle and lives for approx 5 years.

Females usually breed twice a year and can lay any from 8000 to 35000 eggs at a time.

The Cane Toad

Why was it Introduced

During the 1930’s the sugar cane industry was booming is Australia.

The Cane Toad was introduced in an attempt to combat the Cane Beetle.

The Cane Beetle was ravaging Northern Queensland’s sugar cane plantations.

101 Cane Toads were released in an attempt to eradicate the beetle.

Did this work?Unfortunately the Cane Beetle very quickly adapted to living in the upper areas of the sugar cane crops where the Cane Toad could not reach.

The Cane Toad simply found other organism to eat (mainly insects) and started breeding at an extremely rapid rate and spreading from Northern Queensland towards the South.

Map Showing the Spread of the Cane Toad as of 2008.

What impacts have they had on Australian Ecosystems?The cane toad has threatened the health of many native species including crocodiles, snakes, goannas, dingoes and birds.

Also due to the Cane Toads large stature and numbers they have muscled out smaller native frogs interrupting their food webs.

They can also transmit diseases they carry to other frogs and fish.

Control MeasuresThe government has implemented quarantine sites between state borders.

People go out of their way to kill the cane toads themselves by clubbing them, freezing them or running them over (some of these measures are very inhumane).

Unfortunately at this stage there is no broad scale control measure which is effective.

Recommendations for the Future!

Research is being conducted in order to interrupt the Cane Toads breeding cycles to stem the population.

Small fences can be erected around waterways to prevent the Cane Toads from contaminating these ecosystems.

Maintain a high standard of quarantine procedures at ports and airports.

Take great care when introducing species for scientific purposes.

ConclusionGreater research needs to take place before introducing a species like the Cane Toad.

At the time I’m sure it looked like a great way to combat the Cane Beetle.

But it is imperative that the wider impacts and consequences for the environment are investigated prior to introduction so as to avoid catastrophe in the future.

ReferencesCSIRO 2003, The Cane Toad.

Tyler, M 1975, The cane toad (Bufo marinus).

Department on the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts 2010, The cane toad (Bufo marinus).

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries 2015, European Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes). (image)

ReferencesGiant Carp 2010, image, ABC, viewed 10 April 2016, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-18/an-angler-holds-two-tone-a-giant-30kg-mirror-carp/948442>

NSW Government - Office of Environment and Heritage 2015 ,image , viewed 10 April 2016, <http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pestsweeds/CaneToads.htm>

ReferencesAustralian Government – Department of the Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts 2010 ,image, viewed 10 April 2016, <http://lptop.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/cane-toad/factsheet.html>

Mob of Feral Camels in Central Australia 2014, image, Government of Western Australia – Parks and Wildlife, viewed 10 April 2016, <https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/pests-diseases/202-camels-in-western-australia?showall=1>

ReferencesShine, R 2006, The Ecological Impact of Invasive Cane Toads (Bufo Marinus) in Australia, Quarterly Review of Biology.

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 2015, Cane Toad – Bufo Marinus.

Department of Parks and Wildlife 2014, Cane Toad Strategy for Western Australia 2014-2019.