WANTED
Dead or Alive: Rhinella Marina / Cane Toad / The Poison Wart
How Can I Identify the Cane Toad?
Adult cane toads are usually between three and a half and five inches in length. The skin on the tops of these toads is generally rough and covered in warts and they are often an olive, grey, brown, or red in color. Behind each should of these toads lies their parotoid gland which produces a highly venomous toxin. They also have a pointed snout with a ridge on it right between the eyes. (Environment.nsw.gov.au)
Where Did It Come From and Why Is It Here?
The cane toad is native to South America, Central America, and Mexico. It was introduced into northern Australia to help control sugar cane pests, but because it could not reach the pests, it was practically useless in that sense (Center, National.). The major problem began once the population saw that these toads were reproducing at exponential rates. At first there were only about 3,000 toads in Australia and that number is now up into the millions. (Society, National.)
What Can We Do? What Else Is Being Done?
Many of the control methods that are possible for the cane toads will also be harmful to other toad and frog populations in the area. Because of this factor, the most widely used control effort has been having people in the areas that cane toads are prevalent, go out and physically collect any cane toads they can find. Although this isn’t the most effect method, agencies cannot seem to find any others that would be non harmful to other animal populations. (Canetoadsinoz.com)
Where Can I Find Them?
These toads do well in tropical or subtropical forests that have some type of standing water. They also thrive in areas with buildings and yards, so you may even find them on your own property. (El.erdc.usace.army.mil)
What's He Wanted For?
The glands found on these toads contain a toxin that has extremely harmful effects to the mammalian predators in their area which has caused some of these animals to die and has affected their population numbers. They also compete with the native species for food and shelter which harms some of these highly beneficial species. (El.erdc.usace.army.mil)
REWARD
The removal of this invasive species will increase the native populations which have beneficial effects on the environment. These toads can also be harmful to your own children and pets! Children and small animals can become poisoned from contact because of the toxins that the toads release.
Citations
Center, National. "Invasive Species: Animals - Cane Toad (Rhinella Marina)".Invasivespeciesinfo.gov. N.p., 2016. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
Society, National. "Cane Toads, Cane Toad Pictures, Cane Toad Facts - National Geographic".National Geographic. N.p., 2016. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
Canetoadsinoz.com,. "Current Methods To Cane Toad Control". N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Jan. 2016.
Newsimg.bbc.co.uk,. N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Jan. 2016.
"Products." Pestat. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
"Rexa5512." Save and Preserve. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
Environment.nsw.gov.au,. "Identifying A Cane Toad | NSW Environment & Heritage". N.p., 2016. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.
El.erdc.usace.army.mil,. "Bufo Marinus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cane Toad". N.p., 2016. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.