Everybody relax..

-- of cane toads

Washington: The infamous cane toad - feared for its toxicity and rapid proliferation - is rattling Taiwanese environmentalists and officials rushing to contain a sudden surge of the invasive amphibian.

The rotund toads are indigenous to South and Central America. But they’ve become a scourge of countries including Australia and the Philippines, as well as US states such as Florida and Hawaii, where for decades they have encroached on local ecosystems.


Their toxicity poses a particular danger to dogs who unknowingly bite or lick the interlopers, as well as to large predators that typically prey on amphibians.

The first reports of wild cane toad sightings in Taiwan surfaced a few weeks ago in Chaotun, a township in the centre of the country, Agence France-Presse reported. Environmentalists and volunteers have since been searching the area to find and trap the warty intruders, also called marine toads.

So far the number found on the island is relatively low: the government-run Endemic Species Research Institute has caught some 200 cane toads in recent weeks, according to AFP.

Still, environmentalists warn that quick action is needed to ward off a full-on outbreak.


Full: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/ ... 59ffu.html