Source 1 Source 2. Kakadu Source 3.

Cane toads
National Park (KNP)
Cane toads were introduced into Queensland in
1935 as a biological control for the cane beetle. The
KNP is an area of
toad can survive in a diversity of habitats but they
biological and cultural
need a constant supply of moisture to survive.
significance.
Females lay 8000 to 30 000 eggs at a time in still or
Wetlands found in
slow-moving water. By comparison most native
KNP are recognised
Australian frogs lay 1000 to 2000 eggs per year. The
as internationally
diet of the cane toad consists of mainly insects,
significant and the
snails, native frogs and small mammals. The toad is
native vegetation
highly poisonous and predators die rapidly after
varies from coastal
eating or coming into contact with them. Cane toads
areas, mangroves,
were first identified in the Northern Territory in 1980
flood plains and
and identified in KNP in 2001. Toads have the
seasonal wetlands.
potential to colonise all habitats of KNP, threatening
The biodiversity of the
native species. Creeks, rivers and seasonal
area is unique and
floodplains allow for the dispersal of toads across
the land is of cultural
the region.
significance to
Aboriginal peoples.

Source 6. Management Source 4. Impacts

Source 5. Stakeholders
The park is jointly managed by the Aboriginal
traditional owners and the Director of National
Parks. It is predicted the impact on native
species populations, including bush tucker
species such as monitor lizards, snakes and
turtles, will impact Aboriginal communities in
the Northern Territory. In addition, if toad
numbers continue to increase and disperse
over the Territory, tourism in the area could be
affected; tourism is a major source of income
for Aboriginal and local communities.
There are very few native predators of the cane
toad. The wolf spider, freshwater crayfish, crows
and water rats are a few native species that have
proven able to hunt and eat the toad without
suffering lethal toxic ingestion. Cane toad eggs
and adult cane toads can be collected and
disposed of in an isolated local area but it is often
difficult to differentiate them from native species.
Fencing off ponds with fine mesh can also protect
local areas but wide-scale management has
proved difficult and mostly unsuccessful. The
local-scale protection of the most vulnerable native
habitats and species has become the focus for
management.
The presence of cane toads in KNP will impact the
population and distribution of native species as they
compete for food and shelter. Native predator
numbers in KNP have declined since the arrival of
the cane toad, especially large goannas and
northern quolls. The northern quoll was originally
distributed across northern Australia; however
habitat pressures and the increasing cane toad
distribution has resulted in decreasing quoll
numbers. It is estimated that northern quoll
populations have experienced a 95 per cent
decrease of range between 1980 and 2010. There
are only five remaining isolated regional populations
of quolls across northern Australia. The northern
quoll is listed as endangered. Lethal toxic ingestion
kills the northern quoll after they eat the toad,
mistaking it for native frogs.
Activities

1. Describe the distribution of the cane toad between 1935 and 1974.

Cane toads have spread beyond Queensland into coastal New South Wales, the Northern Territory's
Top End and the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

2. Describe the spread of the cane toad from 1975 to 2004.

At about 1975, cane toads of have been moving west about 40-60 km per year.

3. Describe the predicted distribution of the cane toad.

The prediction distributions of cane toads are predicted to move west particularly in the North and South
coasts of Australia.

4. Why do you think that cane toads aren’t predicted to spread to the other parts of Australia not
shaded on the map?

Cane toads won’t spread to other parts of Australia especially inland due to food and habitat as it
will be harder to survive for cane toads.

5. Explain the significance of Kakadu National Park.

The biodiversity of the area is unique and the land is of cultural significance to Aboriginal peoples
with the addition of wetlands and natural vegetation.
6.

7. List the stakeholders involved in Kakadu National Park.

The park is jointly managed by the Aboriginal traditional owners and the Director of National
Parks. It is predicted the impact on native species populations, including bush tucker species
such as monitor lizards, snakes and turtles.

8. Explain the environmental change facing Kakadu National Park.

Native predator numbers in KNP have declined since the arrival of the cane toad and the park is
suffering from habitat loss.

9. What are the causes (both natural and human) of this environmental change?

The presence of cane toads in KNP will impact the population and distribution of native species
as they compete for food and shelter.

10. What are the direct and measurable impacts of this change?
11. What are the indirect impacts of this change?

12. What are the long-term impacts for Australia of this change?

13. What is currently being done to manage this environmental change? Has it been successful?

14. What do you think needs to be done to ensure the sustainability of Kakadu National Park?

Attributions:

© Commonwealth of Australia 2013, Distribution and Predicted Spread of Cane Toads in Australia
http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/drs/indicator/208/index.html CC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en
Reference: The cane toad (Bufo marinus) (Dept. of Environment) http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/cane-toad/
factsheet.html
Reference: Cane Toad (Australian Museum) http://australianmuseum.net.au/Cane-Toad
Reference: Kakadu National Park(Australia.gov.au) http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/kakadu-national-park
Reference: Welcome to Kakadu National Park (Dept. of Environment) http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/kakadu/index.html
Reference: van Dam, RA, Walden, DJ, & Begg, GW 2002, A preliminary risk assessment of cane toads in Kakadu National Park. Scientific
Report 164, Supervising Scientist, Darwin, NT