Big Toadie Blooper

Submitted: Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 10:26

ThreadID: 53961 Views:3806 Replies:5 FollowUps:12

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Member - Chris R (NSW)

For those of you who get to remote places wonder where the snakes etc are, or those who reckon science has all the answers... Here's a nice little quote for the Aus Day weekend.

“To others who … suggest the possibility that the toad will, in turn, itself become a pest, we can point to the fact that nearly 100 years have elapsed since it was first introduced into Barbados, and there it has no black marks against its character. Experience with it in other West Indian islands and in Hawaii certainly points to the fact that no serious harm is likely to eventuate through its introduction into Queensland”

R W Mungomery upon returning to Australia from Hawaii with 101 toads in 1935

Yep we're just a tad fallible - even the one's who claim to know.

Cheers

Chris

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Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 13:37

Reply By: The Rambler( W.A.) - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 14:17

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 14:17

Yes it is something to think about.I come from Trinidad in the West Indies where there is a very large population of cane toads and also probably more wildlife than Australia with no adverse effects from the cane toad.It is my opinion that over a relatively short time all the "hype" about cane toads here will be forgotten.It is interestring that on my last trip last year I met a volunteer cane toad researcher in the N.T. who told me that they had started to change their views on the cane toad problem as they were seeing evidence of wildlife adapting to the presense of the toad.There will always be different views on any introduced species but time will tell.

AnswerID: 284092

Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 14:48

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 14:48

10 years ago I could dive down any road in Kakadu and find snakes, I could find a Goanna in all the camp grounds and at any camp ground at night find Native quolls and alike.

I haven't seen a Goanna in 8 years you may find a snake once a month and try and find a quoll or alike in a camp ground, there have been over 2 hundred fresh water Crocs killed in Katerine gorge as well.

No adverse effects at all, yeah right

Steve.

FollowupID: 548836

Follow Up By: Member - Chris R (NSW) - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 14:59

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 14:59

HI Rambler,

I've seen this argument before and support its general systems view. But it is faulted - particularly from the victims' point of view: they're dead.

More vulnerable species, less able to adapt than the rapidly adapting cane toad, will go to extinction - or arrive at numbers that do not allow them to survive other natural events. This too is part of the systems view.

Whichever way we think about it, we see with the benefit of hindsight that our simple act had unintended consequences in the natural system far outweighing any projected benefit to us.

Best regards

Chris

FollowupID: 548840

Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 23:29

Monday, Jan 28, 2008 at 23:29

No Animal has been made extinct by the introduction of toads

FollowupID: 548990

Follow Up By: Member - Chris R (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 08:17

Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 08:17

Life is rarely so simple Davoe. We cannot assign an extinction to a single cause. Causes combine. Land clearance, diseases, cane toads, people, climate... But cane toads are another factor of our doing. They help the process.

The 'no extinctions' argument is dreadfully narrow.

Think about abundance - would it not be a more enjoyable Australian environment to see and hear and wonder at our Aus natives rather than live in a silent bush by day and hear the chirrup of toads by night?

Cheers

Chris