Invasive Species

The Cane Toad is a type of terrestrial toad that is large, usually about 10-15 centimeters in length. These toads have poisonous glands, making them lethal for predators that try to eat them. The tadpoles of these toads are also poisonous to the touch, which is one of their adaptations for survival. The reason that these toads have been introduced to various nations around the world is so that they can try to eliminate the cane beetle. This seemingly harmless introduction to nations such as Australia has led to issues regarding this species' presence.

The Cane Toad was introduced to Australia after the nation saw the apparent success that the Cane Toad was having in killing off beetles in cane fields in Puerto Rico and other nations. This caused people to bring the toads to Australia from Hawaii. They were brought over to Australia in 1935 but are native to Central and South America. At this point, over 3000 of the species were released into sugar cane fields in Queensland.

                                                                                            



Queensland Sugarcane Field



However, after being introduced to help benefit Australia, the Cane Toad is now causing much more harm than good. The fact that Cane Toads are poisonous makes them dangerous to other Australian species. When other animals ingest Cane Toads, this can lead to death which is starting to take away from Australia's biodiversity. Certain species of lizards, snakes, and even crocodiles have been greatly affected by the introduction of the Cane Toad. Native species are suffering because of this invasive species.

In Australia, many steps have been taken in an effort to control the population of the Cane Toad. Groups of volunteers go out holding their only goal as killing the toads on the spot or freezing them to death. The government has also looked at the possibility of introducing a virus that would target the toads and kill off many of them. However, this solution is risky as the virus could mutate and then go on to harm more of Australia's native species. Others have come up with ideas to design specialized traps that would lure and kill the cane toad population throughout Australia.

As the Cane Toad is drastically affecting Australia, there are certain species in America that are doing the same thing. One of these invasive species affecting America is the wild boar. The wild boar was first introduced to America in the 1500s. The boar is an invasive species that is greatly affecting the agriculture of America. It is a major issue because of the damage that it does to the crops and native plants of the United States. To control this problem, people have tried to take things into their own hands (with encouragement from the government). Hunting and trapping of wild boars is something that is becoming more and more commonplace in the United States. Euthanasia is also a method that Americans are using to control the boar population. The boars area also being captured and put into "humane" environments to control the amount of reproduction in the United States.

Invasive species throughout the world are an issue that needs to be addressed by all countries. These species were not originally intended to make their habitat in the areas they now call home. Though it is true that some invasive species have been beneficial or neutral contributors to each respective environment, many of these species need to be dealt with effectively to prevent further issues from developing. Our issues in America are similar to those in Australia; the wild boar is now ravaging much of the southern United States, just as the cane toad and rabbit are destroying the Australian environment. All three of these species were not intended to live in the countries they now reside in, and have found ways to cause more harm than good in their new homes. Just as the cane toad harms the wildlife of Australia and the rabbit destroys the environment, the wild boars and other species in America have continued to wreak havoc on environmental factors in America. Invasive species are an issue that must be addressed by countries throughout the world

Rabbit-Proof Fence

In Rabbit-Proof Fence, it is demonstrated how badly the Aboriginal people were treated. They were not given equal treatment as the white population in Australia and suffered from many injustices. Their land was destroyed, families were broken apart, and basic laws were disregarded when applied to the Aboriginal people. As white settlers expanded into Aboriginal lands, the land and property was confiscated. The "white people would take [their] land from [them]", which is a direct violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration states that all people have the right to own property, a right that was being denied to the the Aborigines. Furthermore, the white settlers would come into Aborigines land and take the children from their families and send them to special communities for half-caste children. This again violated policies in the United Nations' Declaration, which stated that all people have a freedom from interference with privacy, family, home, and correspondence. By taking children from their families, the white settlers were not violating laws that had been established. Finally, the white people would accuse the Aborigines of crimes, such as stealing sheep for necessary food, and then send them to penal colonies as a result of the "misdeeds" that they were doing. The Aborigines were put on trial under English law, which limited their right to a fair trial. Again, the white settlers were in violation of the United Nations Policy in the fact that they denied equality before the law, freedom from arbitrary arrest and exile, and the right to remain innocent until proven guilty. The white settlers proved that they had no conscience when dealing with the Aborigines, dealing injustice after injustice to the people.

The "civilizing" of Australia had similarities to events that happened in the history of the United States. In Australia, the white people expanded throughout the country, civilizing colonies and displacing the native peoples that had already been living there. A similar event happened regarding the Native Americans in the United States. As Americans over-populated the east coast of the country, they soon developed a new found desire to spread as far west as they possibly could, inhabiting territory along the way (Manifest Destiny). As American settlers did this, they expelled Native American tribes from their homelands as a way to benefit no one other than themselves. This mirrors the events that were occurring in Australia. The white settlers in Australia were continually expanding throughout the country, seizing the natives' land and resources and displacing them from their traditional homes. The injustices that were done to both the Native Americans as well as the Aborigines people of Australia had many similarities in that both native tribes were treated unfairly and forced to adapt to completely new lifestyles.

The actions of the Australian government to relocate children of mixed descent were not morally justified in the "civilizing" of Australia. The government issued a policy that stated that children that were "half-caste" were to be taken from their native families and sent to special colonies to live with other children of mixed heritage. These actions were not justified morally by any means. Multiple rights, freedoms, and laws of moral conduct were violated when the government elected to start a policy that broke apart families and moved them hundreds of miles from each other. The government thought that they were doing good by moving these children to new areas to provide for a "better" lifestyle and a more productive future. On the contrary, the government did much more harm than good in their establishment of this law. Families were destroyed, laws were violated, and sorrow swept over tribes that had to endure the loss of family. By relocating children of mixed descent the Australian government tore apart and scarred an entire generation of Aborigines children. This not only caused the families to be distraught beyond imagine; it caused an entire generation of these tribes to be destroyed.

Blog: The Great Barrier Reef

1. The Great Barrier Reef is considered the "largest living organism on earth."
2. Coral extracts the compound calcium carbonate to make solid tentacles.
3. The structure of a coral is impacted by red algae because red algae is what actually builds the structure of the coral.
4. The Great Barrier Reef became a national park in 1975.
5. Thirty-three percent of the Great Barrier Reef is protected from fishing.
6. According to scientists, the Current Reef is approximately 20,000 years old. Even older, the Ancient Reef is believed to be about 500,000 years old.

Australia Videos Blog

Video 1:

1. A polyp is what is formed following a coral larvae attaching to and settling on a surface. To be considered coral, a polyp needs to take in algae that make food for the polyp. The polyp then multiplies and forms a colony (coral).
2. They are sensitive to temperature change.
3. Coral bleaching occurs when the temperature rises too much and the algae/food source leave the coral, causing the coral to lose its color.
4. Coral bleaching is occurring more due to climate change.
5. We can help by changing our habits by saving energy. Turn off unused lights, don't use unnecessary motor vehicles, and recycle.

Video 2:

1. Fish: 1500 species, Hard coral: 360 species, Soft Coral: 1/3 of world's soft coral, 22 sea bird species, 32 shore bird species.
2. Climate change is responsible for warming our oceans.
3. Increased flooding affects the reefs and species because it pollutes the reef. Fish then move to other waters, leaving less food for birds.
4. We can reduce climate change by getting involved in the environment to stop pollution, turning off lights and appliances when not at home, and finding more energy-efficient ways to do household tasks.

Videos 3/4:

1. Two benefirts of watching videos that are addressed mainly toward younger audiences are that people may be able to gain a better understanding by aiming simpler. Some concepts may be difficult to fully comprehend, and using media aimed at children can make it easier for everyone to gain a better comprehension of the subject at hand. Also, this can make it easier for adults and older people to teach young people. If an adult learns based on more child-based media, it will be easier for them to in turn teach younger children what they need to know regarding the subject. However, this method also has drawbacks. It is possible for this type of media to be TOO simple, making it harder to completely understand the more difficult concepts that may be involved. Another drawback is that using this type of media may leave unanswered questions regarding the subject. These questions could be crucial to developing a complete understanding.

2. Adults from Australia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmiuTC6XDyc  This video would be beneficial to Australian adults because it comes from the direct perspective of Australians. It does not try to appeal to a younger generation with simple facts; it addresses the issue exactly as it is. The lesson comes directly from a native who knows exactly the crisis that is facing Australia, making this video highly beneficial.

Foreigners not from Australia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EC7DzWHZZ4 I feel that this video would help foreigners become aware about Australia's climate change because of the way it addresses the issue. It talks about ways the government is trying to help, and the overall effects it is having on the nation as a whole. This video is not assuming that people already know facts about the country (something that it would do in a video addressed to Australians). The video lets people know the effects climate change is having on Australia, but uses great enough detail to allow a foreigner to gain enough necessary knowledge.

Tourists visiting Great Barrier Reef: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=526n0WhyJGQ&feature=related   This video would help because it gets straight to the point and shows people what climate change is doing not only to the Great Barrier Reef, but to coral reefs throughout the world. It shows the seriousness of the issue by pointing out that the crisis is global, not limited to just the Great Barrier Reef. It shows how climate change directly affects coral reefs, including the Great Barrier. This is a fact that tourists would want and need to know prior to visiting the reef, so they would know exactly what they could be missing if the world doesn't change its ways.