Does the cane toad affect the black bittern?
The cane toad (Bufo marinus) was introduced to Queensland in 1935 in an attempt to control beetle pests of sugar cane. Since its introduction, the cane toad has proved to be a highly invasive pest and is still spreading across northern and eastern Australia. Cane toads eat a wide variety of prey, breed opportunistically, have a far greater fecundity than native frogs and develop rapidly, particularly in warmer waters. Cane toads possess highly toxic chemical predator defenses and all life stages from eggs to adults contain toxin. There is considerable concern over the impact of the cane toad on native species through predation, competition and poisoning. Cane toads have venom-secreting poison glands (known as parotoid glands) on each shoulder where poison is released when they are threatened. If ingested, this venom can cause rapid heartbeat, excessive salivation, convulsions and paralysis and can result in death for many native animals.
