Hunting

• The toads were imported from Hawaii and released in Queensland, purportedly to manage pest beetles in sugar cane crops.
• Along the way, cane toads have created havoc.
• By exposing native animals to less toxic baby cane toads, we can teach them not to eat the deadly adults.

‘Teacher toads’

• In some cases, the only way to reduce the impacts of such invaders may be to build the resilience of native species.
• This can be achieved through a method known as “conditioned taste aversion” – a learned association between the taste of a particular food and illness.
• Across Australia’s tropics, many populations of this species have declined more than 90% due to ingestion of cane toads.

The results were clear

• To take on this challenge, we assembled a coalition of stakeholders including researchers, wildlife management agencies, non-government organisations, private landowners and Indigenous groups.
• We worked with the Bunuba Rangers and the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
• First, we captured adult female toads that were about to lay their eggs.
• The results of our intervention were clear.

Lessons for the future

• But our results suggest strategic use of this method can help maintain pockets with healthy predator populations.
• We’re optimistic that even a single deployment of baby toads may have long-term effects.
• It also shows the benefits of academics working with Indigenous communities and government authorities to achieve real outcomes for wildlife conservation.

Rick Shine receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Georgia Ward-Fear does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.