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Army plea as toxic toads march on
Officials
in Western Australia have called for the army to be deployed to stop an
invasion of cane toads.The toxic amphibians have spread in plague-like
numbers across tropical Australia since being introduced to the country
in the 1930s.They were first brought to Australia from Hawaii to
eradicate cane beetles, but they have had a devastating impact on
native wildlife.There could be as many as 100 million cane toads in
tropical Australia.
March of the toad
The
toads have reached the outskirts of Darwin in the Northern
Territory.Over the border, officials in Western Australia are watching
very nervously.They want the army to intercept these poisonous pests as
their advance continues.The state government has written to its federal
counterpart in Canberra, asking for permission to use troops as a first
line of defence.Much of Western Australia’s interior is inhospitable
and inaccessible.In such a remote area, the resources of the military
could be invaluable.
Lethal venom
Cane
toads are big, warty creatures and have had a devastating effect on
Australian wildlife.They carry a venom so powerful it can kill
crocodiles, snakes and other predators in minutes.All attempts to fight
the spread of the cane toad have so far failed.No-one is quite sure of
the most effective way to stop them.One member of Australia’s federal
parliament has previously suggested that people should beat them with a
golf club or a cricket bat.Animal welfare groups have said that the
humane way to get rid of these invaders is to put them into a freezer
until they die.
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