Environment

Crocs croak after eating toads

by julianw | June 16, 2008 at 04:04 pm

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What looks like a delicious cane toad may in fact be a deadly, poisonous cane toad. In Australia, crocodiles are learning that lesson the hard way.

The habitat of cane toads is spreading across Australia and the poisonous amphibians are decimating populations of freshwater crocodiles, according to a leading biologist.

Dr Mike Letnic, of Sydney University, says scores of crocodiles in the tropical, northern region have died after eating toads. His team visited the Victoria River district of the Northern Territory.

"[In 2006] we counted more than 600 crocodiles and in 2007 we counted less than 400," he said. "There were dead crocs everywhere. The only thing that had changed between visits was that cane toads had moved through the river system."

Letnic said examination of the crocodile carcasses showed they had eaten cane toads. "Crocs don't ask questions when looking for a meal," he said. "We think there were big concentrations of toads."

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Burnt Umber

at 16:57 on June 16th, 2008

This is the giant cane toad. This little fellow was captured at night while searching for freshwater snails in mimai, Florida. They are primarily nocternal and are active during the spring rainy seasons. When threatened they ooze toxic slime from their skin which can be fatal if ingested in large enough quantities.

see all my bufo photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpilla001/sets/72157604851558580/

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Dianekmt

at 21:26 on June 16th, 2008

Cane toads happily congregate in suburban gardens, feeding at night around outdoor lights. Nature has made them extremely toxic to compensate for their mostly sluggish and clumsy mode of locomotion, which makes them extremely easy to catch.
Reviled by most Australians, they are an unwanted ecological problem at present. Originally introduced here to control an insect pest, they have become a pest themselves. They don't appear to like the cold, and numbers are often reduced after prolonged cool weather.
Although I wish there weren't here, I personally find they all have individual personalities, and some are quite cute.
Dianekmt.
http://www.pharaohs-phakes.com

Dianekmt has contributed a photo to this story.

kibuyu

at 23:38 on June 16th, 2008

My cane toad photograph is from Costa Rica - they are indigenous to Central and South America. The large swellings behind the eyes (parotid glands) are the main source of the defensive toxins that these toads exude.