Western Australians are being urged to maintain the fight against cane toads, following confirmation that the invasive species has now crossed the WA border.

Cane toads (Bufo marinus) were introduced to Queensland decades ago to try to stop beetle damage in sugar cane crops. Instead, they became a major pest themselves and, ever since, cane toads have been steadily moving across northern Australia.

To help fight this invasion, the WA Government is working closely with the Northern Territory Government and community groups to slow their progress while research to find a biological control for the pest continues.

Latest news:

Photo courtesy of Jonno Webb from the University of Sydney

• Rats turn the tables on cane toads
  Friday 13 March 2009
• Cane toads arrive in Western Australia
  Saturday 28 February 2009
• Cane toad packs for the Kimberley
  Friday 27 February 2009
• Cane toad disposal sites established in the Kimberley
  Friday 23 January 2009
• State Government steps up fight against cane toads
  Saturday 10 January 2009

Brochures:

• Keeping toads out of your backyard - arming the community against toads (503.56 kB) 
• Is it a cane toad? Identifying toads (671.66 kB) 
• Protecting children and pets from cane toads - what you can do (606.98 kB) 
• Safety and cane toads - handling cane toads (532.36 kB)

Other downloads:

• Draft Cane Toad Strategy for Western Australia 2009-19 (pdf 5.72Mb)
  The public comment period for the draft Cane Toad Strategy for Western Australia 2009-19 closed on 25 June 2009. The draft strategy outlines a 10-year management plan for cane toads and aims to provide an integrated response across the whole community to reduce the impact of the invasive species on biodiversity, social and economic values. 

Click here to download the WA Cane Toad update - June 2009 (938.6 kB)