An
environmental action group says cane toad numbers in the Top End appear to be
down from last year.
By By Melanie Arnost, ABC – Tue, Aug
21, 2012
An
environmental action group says cane toad numbers in the Top End appear to be
down from last year.
Frog Watch is
conducting its annual cane toad audit in the Darwin area and is conducting toad
busting programs every night this week.
Co-ordinator
Graeme Sawyer says the group has made good progress in stopping the cane toad
population from growing.
He says
Darwin has a low number of toads compared to other places in Australia.
"Talking
to people in Cairns and places in Queensland at the moment, they are just
completely flooded with toads," he said.
"People
might have 30 or 40 toads in their backyards.
"Most
people in Darwin haven't got any in their backyard and the occasional one here
and there.
"It is
completely different and largely due to the fact that the population of Darwin
has been really switched on to toad control from day one."
Mr Sawyer
says he does not know why cane toad numbers are down.
"We are
not sure whether it is because of cold weather or whether it is going to show
that we've made some good progress in Darwin in the last 12 months," he
said.
"Certainly
we got some good work done last wet (season) and the breeding events that
happened, like the one at Marrara golf course where we got 60,000 baby toads before
they actually got out and away.
"We
think that has made a pretty solid dent in the numbers."
Mr Sawyer
says continuing toad busting programs are important.
"We will
get in to more regular and serious toad busting right through from now until
the rains come back," he said.
"Now we
are getting into the warmer end of the dry season, the toads will be in their
refuge mode.
"That's
the time when we can do the most damage to their populations."
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