Alarming find at Aussie beach as invasive pest spreads to over 200 million: 'They eat everything'
Invasive cane toad populations are surging across Australia, with over 200 million estimated to be spreading through multiple states. Conservation groups are actively removing thousands of eggs and adult toads to mitigate the environmental damage caused by the toxic pests.
Why it matters
Cane toads are a major ecological threat to Australian biodiversity, and their rapid reproduction poses significant challenges for environmental management and native wildlife protection.
100,000 cane toad eggs and 30 female cane toads were removed from the water at North Stradbroke Island last week. (Minjerribah Cane Toad Busters via Watergum Cane Toads) A single image snapped at an Aussie beach last week highlights a worrying problem 'spreading' across northern Australia as i nvasive cane toad numbers continue to rapidly grow.
There are thought to be over 200 million toxic cane toads that have expanded into several Aussie states, Gemma Newton, invasive species officer at Watergum, revealed to Yahoo News.
The Queensland-based non-profit group is leading the way in cleaning up Australia and ridding the environment of the species.
Last week, Minjerribah Toad Busters removed 100,000 cane toad eggs and 30 adult cane toads from the water at North Stradbroke Island, Queensland before recording the numbers with Watergum, who track it nationally.
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