Attack of the giant toads

Australian environmentalists trying to slow the inexorable spread of the toxic cane toad have found a "monster" male during a night-time raid on a pond near Darwin.

The toad, measuring 20.5 cm (8.1in) and weighing nearly 1kg (2lb), was one of 39 picked in a "breeding frenzy" and is thought to be the largest ever found in the tropical Northern Territory.

Cane toads are a classic example of introduced species running amok and wiping out local fauna.

As part of its 'Toad Buster' project, Frogwatch conducts regular raids on local water holes, blinding the toads with bright lights then scooping them up by the dozen.

“We kill them with carbon dioxide gas, stockpile them in a big freezer and then put them through a liquid fertiliser process," Mr Sawyer said. “It turns out to be sensational fertilizer.”

Wonder what the packaging looks like? From the Times of London. For more background, you might consider the entertaining 1988 documentary, Cane Toads: An Unnatural History. Wikipedia entry here.

Posted by David on March 27, 2007 9:44 AM