Invasive species

[Janus]

I think one of the best examples against introducing exotic specied into certain environments is shown in Australia. The cane toad population has exploded and they are destroying the indeigenous wildlife population all except the organisms that they were introduced to destroy. :lol:

Army plea as toxic toads march on (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5092226.stm)

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I hear that putting bounties on certain species of animals is a good way of reducing their population quickly.

[Janus]

I hear that putting bounties on certain species of animals is a good way of reducing their population quickly.
It depends on their population. So far that has not worked in Australia because the cane toad population is monstrous and the demales produce huge numbers of eggs that are not preyed upon.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2006, 05:31 PM

I hear that putting bounties on certain species of animals is a good way of reducing their population quickly.
It depends on their population. So far that has not worked in Australia because the cane toad population is monstrous and the demales produce huge numbers of eggs that are not preyed upon.
If the populations of toads are that large, then award the bounties by weight. Bring in a huge container full of toads, have it inspected, collect your money. I get the feeling there is little actual will to do anything about this problem - wacking them with golf clubs and sticking them in the freezer seem like very half-hearted ways of going about it.

[Janus]

You mean like get entire populations out there kiling toads 'cause maybe that would work but it's not really feasible.

Also, they would have to keep it up as the toads reproduce very quickly.

[Mujer Libre]

Originally posted by article
One member of Australia's federal parliament has previously suggested that people should beat them with a golf club or a cricket bat.

A cricket bat is more Australian. <.<

But seriously, this is so screwed up... IIRC they British also introduced rabbits (to hunt, and because they reminded them of home) and they became pests. Then they introduced foxes to hunt the rabbits. Now they&#39;re pests. Oh and sheep. While they taste great, the damage they do to the land is shocking.

Apparently the toads are creeping south and will be in NSW soon, and are becoming more cold resistant.

[bezdomni]

You can get high off Cane Toads.

[Janus]

But seriously, this is so screwed up... IIRC they British also introduced rabbits (to hunt, and because they reminded them of home) and they became pests. Then they introduced foxes to hunt the rabbits. Now they&#39;re pests. Oh and sheep. While they taste great, the damage they do to the land is shocking.
Yeah, that&#39;s one major problem with introducing exotic species. Sometimes they don&#39;t do what they are supposed to do.


You can get high off Cane Toads.
Yeah, cheap source as well.

[pedro san pedro]

new zealand has a similar problem with possums (which are threatened in parts of australia). We used to have a bounty on them, and the numbers dropped noticeable. This was removed and instead of hunters, New Zealand employed 1080 posion to kill the little buggers. Since then the population of possums has increased again, and we have dropped god knows how much posion onto our land and into our waterways.

as far as i know, the mussel inn in golden bay is the only place that stilloffers a bounty - a beer for every possum brought in

[Janus]

I&#39;m not sure if Australia has tried to put up a bounty though I do know that they have tried eradication programs to no avail.


Since then the population of possums has increased again, and we have dropped god knows how much posion onto our land and into our waterways.
Why bother with the water? That sounds pretty stupid as it opposums do drink but it would harm so many other species as well.

By the way, no one eats the opposums? They were originally introduced into the western US as a source of food.

Of course, you can&#39;t eat cane toads and hitting them could be potentially harmful due to the poison that they store.

[pedro san pedro]

a lot of the 1080 is dropped from helicopter, so it&#39;s pretty indiscriminate where it ends up

[ricardsju]

If anyone here thinks that the gorse and broom plants are pretty then they need a smack on the fucking head, they are most ugly plants that only the british capitalists could ever like.


By the way, no one eats the opposums? They were originally introduced into the western US as a source of food.

I think you can buy posum pies in some out of it places in New Zealand. I also think we have a fur trade with a few countrys much to the disslike of PETA and other groups, If they want complain about how posums are killed here, then they are more than welcome to come kill the posums themselfs.

[Janus]

a lot of the 1080 is dropped from helicopter, so it&#39;s pretty indiscriminate where it ends up
Oh I see.

Too bad the Aussies can&#39;t introduce toad season or something like that to lessen the population. Or they could pay certain people to go out and bag a number of toads full-time but I think that they may have tried that.

[Mujer Libre]

Originally posted by pedro san [email protected] 20 2006, 05:55 AM
new zealand has a similar problem with possums (which are threatened in parts of australia). We used to have a bounty on them, and the numbers dropped noticeable. This was removed and instead of hunters, New Zealand employed 1080 posion to kill the little buggers. Since then the population of possums has increased again, and we have dropped god knows how much posion onto our land and into our waterways.

as far as i know, the mussel inn in golden bay is the only place that stilloffers a bounty - a beer for every possum brought in
Some possums are endangered- mainly species that are losing habitat (ie old growth forests) but there are species that make pests of themselves in cities. They live by eating out of bins and sneaking up to people at night, expecting food. :P

I don&#39;t like sitting in the park at night because of them&#33;

[downwiththesickness]

Now I remember Attack of the Killer Tomatoes from childhood... :unsure:

[RebelOutcast]

I believe I read somewhere that they were going to engineer some male toads so that when they mated they would only produce more male toads, which would spread and eventually wipe out the species. Or at least seriously reduce the number of them.