The Invasive Species Council commends Environment Minister Reece Whitby for launching a vital cane toad containment zone west of Broome.
This initiative will be a frontline defence against this incoming invasion, which will devastate native species, impact farmers and damage Indigenous connection to Country.
‘These toxic pests have already spread west throughout the Kimberley and are knocking on the door of the Pilbara. The looming threat of cane toads pushing 20 to 24 more native animals to the brink of extinction if they make their way west of Broome, is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore,’ Lyall Grieve, Invasive Species Council’s Conservation and Biosecurity Analyst said.
‘Some of these species are found nowhere else outside the Pilbara. Small mammals such as Kaluta, Ningaui and Planigales along with reptiles like the Pilbara Rock Goanna are expected to be some of the worst hit of the unique animals found only in this part of the world.
‘To date, efforts to contain cane toads have failed, but the Pilbara’s unique landscape offers a real opportunity for success. Its narrow geography, few waterways, and natural barriers like the Great Sandy Desert make it easier to control and potentially eradicate cane toads.
‘This commitment is a significant step forward but will need to be backed up with comprehensive, ongoing funding if it is to succeed. This includes funding for long-term increased surveillance, community engagement and education, and rigorous monitoring of mainly travellers passing through the area.
‘The history of cane toads in Australia is a sobering reminder of what can happen when environmental biosecurity is not taken seriously. Since their introduction in 1935 in north Queensland, cane toads have swamped more than a million square kilometres of Australia, and in some areas have caused declines of up to 90% in native animal populations.
‘With funding for the right monitoring and support, we can hopefully protect this region from cane toads.’
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Background:
- The most damaging impact of cane toads is poisoning of native predators
- The Pilbara is the main stronghold of the endangered northern quoll, with many populations in other regions collapsed or likely to collapse in the near future due to poisoning by cane toads
- The Pilbara olive python is vulnerable to combined impacts, along with many endemic species of reptiles
- Ghost bat – up to 90% of Kimberley population disappeared due to cane toads
- Invasive species pose a multifaceted threat to Indigenous Australians’ profound connection to Country, impacting not only the ecological balance but also deeply rooted cultural practices. This may include degrading culturally significant landscapes or impact totem species, a species in which Indigenous Australians connect with spiritually but also feel culturally responsible to care for. It also threatens cultural practices like access to bush tucker and bush medicine
- The Karajarri and Nyangumarta Traditional Owner groups have identified toads as a threat to their Country (in the barrier area) and are already engaged in collaborative planning with other landholders and experts to implement the ‘Pilbara line’
- Benefit to farmers: The proposed infrastructure, installed at no cost to them, would reduce water evaporation and protect dung beetles (eaten by cane toads), which remove cattle faeces and thus limit parasite transmission between cattle.
- The majority of the Pilbara affected is made up of mining tenements and small communities.
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