Guest Gollywobbler Posted December 4, 2007 Posted December 4, 2007 Hi All Did anyone else see last night's Beeb documentary about Cane Toads? For those of you in Oz, who plainly didn't see it, apparently Cane Toads are not indigenous to Oz and no species of toad is. Plenty of species of native frogs but no toads apparently. It seems that back in the 1930s, farmers were growing sugar cane in QLD. One year the entire crop became infested by some kind of beetle which was eating it and destroying it. Cane Toads are indigenus to South America and they eat beetles and other insects of all kinds, it seems. Some enterprising Ozzies went to South America and collected 102 of these toads. 101 survived the journey to QLD, where they were released. They were useless against the beetles because the beetles were too high up in the cane and the good news about these vile-looking toads is that they cannot scale anything. (It is about the only bit of good news about them that there is, though!) So - the toads hopped off to find food elsewhere and apparently they can travel huge distances relatively quickly. They proved to be hugely successful in their new environment. They spawn in water, as do frogs and the female releases thousands of eggs. The toads are poisonous to nearly all other creatures. Apparently they have poison sacs on their shoulders and have killed inquisitive puppies and kittens. They also kill the native frogs which spawn in the same water because even cane toad tadpoles and toadlets are poisonous and kill the frogspawn, frog tadpoles and froglets, seemingly. The first people to complain when the toads started to multiply were the bee-keepers in QLD. They used to keep the hives on the ground but then had to put them on blocks to keep the toads away from the bees. The toads are persistent, however. There was footage of at least 100 of them clustered round the base of the hive-blocks, because dying bees get kicked out of the hive and stumble down towards the ground. They sting the toads but the toads don't mind that in the interests of a meal, it would seem. They are also bone blinking idle if they get half a chance. Apparently they have worked out that the average suburban homestead in QLD and all the way down the coastal strip to Sydney provides good eating. There was a woman hanging out the washing in her garden, wearing only a pair of THONGS on her feet, with at least 20 of these toads everywhere, watching attentively. I'd have worn gumboots myself. In another scene, a man who was either barefoot or wearing thongs was cooking on the barbie in his garden when one of these toads hopped onto his bare foot, It hopped off again but I'd have had a thousand fits if that had happened to me, so I assume he must either be a native Queenslander or he's got much better nerves than I have, because he didn't even seem to notice this. These toads are the pits if they get into the house, however. They absolutely adore tinned dogfood. The dogfood was in the bowl on the floor ready for the German Shepherd. There were at least 10 of these toads clambering up the sides of the bowl and nicking the food. The dog lay on the floor, watching and whimpering. He couldn't get anywhere near his meal because he obviously knows that these creatures pack poison. Scientists have now proved that the cane toads have infiltrated Kakadu National Park in the NT, which is home to many species that are not found anywhere else in the world. Apparently the Rangers have even found dead crocodiles which, when dissected, have been found to have eaten and been killed by ingesting the toads. A Quoll is the dearest little creature. I didn't know they exist till last night and they are adorable. They are marsupials and they are exactly like miniature roos. They are about the size of a cat. Unlike roos which are brown and quokkas which are grey, quolls have beautful markings. Sort of brownish-greyish with white spots on their backs and bright white underbellies - similar to doe-markings - and Kakadu is their only habitat outside of zoos. About a dozen or more of the toads were clustered together. Along came an inquisitve quoll which tried to investigate them. Between them they killed it and the poor quoll died an agonising death by the look of it. We have a member whose user-name is Quoll. Till last night, I didn't know where the user-name came from! Cheers Gill
Guest Serenity Posted December 4, 2007 Posted December 4, 2007 Thanks for the post it was a very interesting read. I had to look up images of cane toads but I agree I wouldn't want one in the house never mind jumping on my foot! Nice diversion from reading about visa wories etc.
jimbobandrachel Posted December 4, 2007 Posted December 4, 2007 Hi All Did anyone else see last night's Beeb documentary about Cane Toads? For those of you in Oz, who plainly didn't see it, apparently Cane Toads are not indigenous to Oz and no species of toad is. Plenty of species of native frogs but no toads apparently. It seems that back in the 1930s, farmers were growing sugar cane in QLD. One year the entire crop became infested by some kind of beetle which was eating it and destroying it. Cane Toads are indigenus to South America and they eat beetles and other insects of all kinds, it seems. Some enterprising Ozzies went to South America and collected 102 of these toads. 101 survived the journey to QLD, where they were released. They were useless against the beetles because the beetles were too high up in the cane and the good news about these vile-looking toads is that they cannot scale anything. (It is about the only bit of good news about them that there is, though!) So - the toads hopped off to find food elsewhere and apparently they can travel huge distances relatively quickly. They proved to be hugely successful in their new environment. They spawn in water, as do frogs and the female releases thousands of eggs. The toads are poisonous to nearly all other creatures. Apparently they have poison sacs on their shoulders and have killed inquisitive puppies and kittens. They also kill the native frogs which spawn in the same water because even cane toad tadpoles and toadlets are poisonous and kill the frogspawn, frog tadpoles and froglets, seemingly. The first people to complain when the toads started to multiply were the bee-keepers in QLD. They used to keep the hives on the ground but then had to put them o blocks to keep the toads away from the bees. The toads are persistent, however. There was footage of at least 100 of them clustered round the base of the hive-blocks, because dying bees get kicked out of the hive and stumble down towards the ground. They sting the toads but the toads don't mind that in the interests of a meal, it would seem. They are also bone blinking idle if they get half a chance. Apparently they have worked out that the average suburban homestead in QLD and all the way down the coastal strip to Sydney provides good eating. There was a woman hanging out the washing in her garden, wearing only a pair of THONGS on her feet, with at least 20 of these toads everywhere, watching attentively. I'd have worn gumboots myself. In another scene, a man who was either barefoot or wearing thongs was cooking on the barbie in his garden when one of these toads hopped onto his bare foot, It hopped off again but I'd have had a thousand fits if that had happened to me, so I assume he must either be a native Queenslander or he's got much better nerves than I have, because he didn't even seem to notice this. These toads are the pits if they get into the house, however. They absolutely adore tinned dogfood. The dogfood was in the bowl on the floor ready for the German Shepherd. There were at least 10 of these toads clambering up the sides of the bowl and nicking the food. The dog lay on the floor, watching and whimpering. He couldn't get anywhere near his meal because he obviously knows that these creatures pack poison. Scientists have now proved that the cane toads have infiltrated Kakadu National Park in the NT, which is home to many species that are not found anywhere else in the world. Apparently the Rangers have even found dead crocodiles which, when dissected, have been found to have eaten and been killed by ingesting the toads. A Quoll is the dearest little creature. I didn't know they exist till last night and they are adorable. They are marsupials and they are exactly like miniature roos. They are about the size of a cat. Unlike roos which are brown and quokkas which are grey, quolls have beautful markings. Sort of brownish-greyish with white spots on their backs and bright white underbellies - similar to doe-markings - and Kakadu is their only habitat outside of zoos. About a dozen or more of the toads were clustered together. Along came an inquisitve quoll which tried to investigate them. Between them they killed it and the poor quoll died an agonising death by the look of it. We have a member whose user-name is Quoll. Till last night, I didn't know where the user-name came from! Cheers Gill Hi I've just read your post and misread the the part about the woman just "hanging her washing out in a pair of thongs." My eyes initially told my brain she was hanging out the washing in just her "thong"! Glad my 80 odd year old neighbour keeps her clothes on when hanging out the washing. I came into contact with a cane toad last year near Australia Zoo. The following morning I woke up with my eyes all "puffed up" like a frog/toad. I looked a right *** when I went into the chemist for some tablets. Jimbob
Guest fatpom Posted December 4, 2007 Posted December 4, 2007 As a pom you'll be held responsible for the introduction of a heap of introduced pest species and noxious weeds. "We" are respnosible for rabbits, foxes and cats just to name the worst culprits but never let the Aussies forget they introduced the Cane Toad.:twitcy:
Guest Ruby Okim Posted December 5, 2007 Posted December 5, 2007 Hi All Scientists have now proved that the cane toads have infiltrated Kakadu National Park in the NT, which is home to many species that are not found anywhere else in the world. Apparently the Rangers have even found dead crocodiles which, when dissected, have been found to have eaten and been killed by ingesting the toads. Yup, went to a party in Darwin and there were some cane toad 'fireworks' going on. I was told that cruelty to any animal is usually frowned upon but when it comes to the cane toad anything goes!!
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