Why isn a long fence being built to exclude toads from WA?
There have been public calls for a barrier fence to be constructed in the Northern Territory to stop the spread of cane toads into Western Australia. The idea of a fence has the appeal of a single action perceived by some as immediately resolving the toad problem and Cane Toad Initiative staff will be working with fencing experts and promoters in evaluating fencing designs. However, many issues need to be considered, including: • massive resources would be required to construct, maintain and patrol a fence and there is no guarantee that it would stop the spread of the toad (such a barrier would require proper design, installation and maintenance, as well as continuous survey and eradication efforts. This would require a long term commitment of resources to maintain effectiveness); • wherever water flows through or over a fence, particularly during the wet, tadpoles and young would also get through (cane toad eggs may be as little as 3 mm long); • such a fence would have to be located s
