Toad Media

Last Update: Sunday, October 22, 2006. 10:23am (AEST)

Original Source

Cane toads will arrive in 3 years: WA report

A new report by Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation has found that cane toads could reach the state within three years.

The WA Government says it has committed more than $6 million towards stopping the cane toad since 2004.

It will contribute $350,000 to a $1.1 million research project to develop a genetic solution.

Professor Grant Morahan from the WA Institute for Medical Research says he plans to map the cane toad genome, paving the way to develop a biological control to wipe out cane toads.

"The reason why this works is different to all the others is that we take a step back, determine the sequence of the cane toad, find out all about its genes, and then from that information we'll be able to target something that it is that will be its achilles' heel," he said.

Environment Minister Mark McGowan says he will approach the Federal Government for the rest of the funding needed for the research.

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