Check your load for stowaways!
Biosecurity authorities have issued warnings across the Northern Tablelands as invasive cane toads push into new regions. These toads are an extreme environmental hazard, the toxins they secrete can kill even our native predators; goannas, quolls and even red-bellied black snakes. Our proximity to the Queensland border makes us very vulnerable as these invasive pests move further south. Cane toads are known to hitchhike – hiding in small, dark, or damp crevices around vehicles and equipment. This includes:
- Camping gear including tents
- Trailers, caravans and boats
- Firewood and boxed produce
- Pot plants and mulch
With recent rain and our warmer winter, cane toads have become active earlier. More active at night they have also now adapted to cooler temperatures and so we need to ensure that our interstate travel and purchases, do not bring home any stowaways.
Their key features include:
- Skin: Dry and warty (not smooth or slimy like a frog)
- Shoulders: Large, triangular pointed glands positioned on each shoulder behind the head
- Face: A bony, m-shaped ridge across the nose/brow area
- Posture: Sits heavy and upright on the ground rather than crouching low
See it? Report it Safely…
- Always wear protective gloves to avoid contact with the toxic milky substance they secrete from their shoulder glands.
- Place it safely in a well-ventilated container with a small amount of water.
- Take a photo – include the face and back profile.
- Report it immediately (Log in to the Feral Scan ToadScan Portal) or call 1800 680 244.
