Australian Cane Toads culled
Image - opencage.info
An attempt has been made to cull a significant amount of Australia's notorious Cane Toad population, which has been estimated at numbering approximately 200 million specimens and appears to be spreading out of known habitats in Queensland and towards New South Wales. As each female toad is able to produce up to 25,000 eggs at a time, culling can have dramatic effects on future population growth.
The toads were first imported into Australia in 1935 as a possible means of controlling beetles in plantations of sugarcane. However, the attempt backfired disastrously when it was found that the toads were unable to reach the tops of the cane stalks where the beetles were to be found and a lack of any natural predator led to the toads becoming a pest themselves when the original population of 102 specimens boomed.
Shane Knuth MP, who pioneered the 'Toad Day Out' volunteer cull program, has insisted that a cull is the appropriate course of action to contain the invasive species. “They're one of the most destructive creatures and the most disgusting creatures and one thing they're doing is they're killing our native wildlife and they're taking over our habitat." said Mr Knuth.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
