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
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