Australia, due to its history of geographical isolation experiences some extreme pest effects not seen anywhere else in the world. Not only fire ants cause Australia trouble but introduce pest species like cats, horses, rabbits and cane toads have changed the Australian landscape forever.

The cane toad is probably the most notable willingly introduced pest which has been brought from south America to the Queensland sugar farms to help eradicate local pests munching into the sweet sugar cane crop. It turns out the cane toad had no taste for the targeted pests they were supposed to eat and went on to take the continent by storm. The cane toad today is still on its way across the continent, conquering new territories every year. Where ever they arrive local wildlife suffers. Snakes and birds die when eating the poisonous toads and local frog species are pushed to extinction.

However the areas in South East Queensland where the cane toad pest was first established shows signs of rehabilitation. The cane toads do not disappear but the local wildlife adapts, snakes grow to be able to handle the toads and local crows have been observed to turn the toads onto their backs and attacking their bellies – they now understand how to handle cane toads.

Cane Toads - reconsider a pest

It is therefore questionable whether the eradication of cane toads has any merit and the general mistreatment of cane toads by locals (kicking & salting) are simply an act of animal cruelty, which would not be tolerated if it were applied to other species. Rethink your ways of handling cane toads Australia.