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Scientists back research to contain cane toads
Monday, 28 March 2005. 10:09 (AEST)
Scientists say cane toads have to be contained.Reuters
Scientists say cane toads have no useful role in the environment
and need to be contained.
The Queensland Government is committing $1 million over two years
towards preventing the toads from spreading.
Premier Peter Beattie says scientists will work on developing a
bait which kills cane toads, without hurting native animals or plants.
Tony Peacock from the Australasian Invasive Animals Cooperative
Research Centre in Canberra says cane toads impact on biodiversity.
"Ideally you'd love to get rid of the cane toad, it's got no useful
role in Australia whatsoever, but realistically in the first instance
we've got to try and contain its spread and then at least try and
get it out of biodiversity hot spots," he said.
Mr Peacock says cane toads are now found as far away as the Northern
Territory-Western Australian border and south into New South Wales.
"It's hard to quantify the cane toad because it doesn't cause specific
agricultural problems, but it is certainly a real impact on biodiversity,
so it's hard to put dollars on it, but it certainly is leading to
species loss," he said.
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