Territory Stories

Sessional Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development Written Submissions Received Volume 2 Issues associated with the progressive entry into the Northern Territory of Cane Toads October 2003

Details:

Title

Sessional Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development Written Submissions Received Volume 2 Issues associated with the progressive entry into the Northern Territory of Cane Toads October 2003

Other title

Tabled Paper 1123

Collection

Tabled Papers for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT

Date

2003-10-16

Description

Tabled by Delia Lawrie

Notes

Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.

Language

English

Subject

Tabled papers

File type

application/pdf

Use

Copyright

Copyright owner

See publication

License

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042

Parent handle

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/307061

Citation address

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/346011

Page content

Written Submissions ERISS Kakadu Report 2002 Volume 2 Cane Toad Inquiry Report 43 The issue of potential impacts of cane toads on granivorous prey insects and resultant repercussions on Kakadu's native plants has been raised, although this is highly speculative. There is evidence, for example, that high densities of harvester ants can significantly reduce the density of speargrass (Sorghum intrans). In terms of plant-animal interactions, it is possible that subtle ecological changes could occur amongst other biota, and other flow-on effects. Feral cats and pigs have been known to die from mouthing or ingesting cane toads. These animals cause damage to the native fauna and landscape of Kakadu, and any decline in their numbers would be considered a benefit. The reduction in numbers of predators such as varanids (goannas) and snakes could be of benefit to the several species of ground-dwelling/nesting birds in Kakadu, in addition to crocodiles and turtles whose eggs are preyed upon by other large reptiles. Cane toads are known to feed on human faeces, and as a result they may harbour human strains of Salmonella and other bacteria. The eggs of human parasites are also spread via toad faeces. In areas where modem sanitation practices are lacking, the presence of large numbers of cane toads could represent a health hazard. Another health-related issue is the potential for substance abuse of the cane toad toxin, a habit forming practice that is established in northern Queensland and in countries such as Fiji. Identification of the risk The data on cane toad effects, distribution and densities are mostly inconclusive and/or show great variability. In addition, information on distributions and abundance of Kakadu animal species are deficient. Nevertheless, it is still possible to identify key habitats and also prioritise particular species based on the likelihood that they will be at greater risk from cane toads than other species, and their importance to the ecological and/or cultural values of Kakadu. Identification of key habitats Aquatic stages In Kakadu. cane toads will breed in both temporary and permanent waterbodies and so their Aquatic stages will be found in a variety of aquatic habitats. They will concentrate their breeding activity during the wetter periods, although they are also known to breed during the Dry season. During the Wet season, when many of the major wetland habitats are inundated, cane toad breeding may be concentrated in the wetland habitats associated with the open forests and woodlands of the lowland plains. Terrestrial stages As the Dry season progresses, cane toads will move progressively from sites of temporary water to permanent water. The floodplains and sheltered habitats on the margins of floodplains and temporary or shallow billabongs will provide ideal cane toad habitat during the early to mid Dry season. The late Dry season will see high densities of cane toads near permanent water or moisture, including permanent billabongs and patches of monsoon rainforest. The Wet season will probably see the highest numbers of cane toad metamorphlings, mainly around the moist margins of the waterbodies they emerged from. Wet season inundation of the major wetlands habitats will see