Dear Kitty. Some blog

June 5, 2008

Cane toads kill Australian freshwater crocodiles [Peace and war, Reptiles, Amphibians] — Administrator @ 8:52 pm


This video from Australia is called Freshwater crocodile movement.

From the Australian Broadcasting Corporation:

Crocodiles caned by advancing toads

Researchers from the University of Sydney have found that cane toads have caused a 75 per cent drop in freshwater crocodile numbers in the Northern Territory’s Victoria River District (VRD).

The researchers say this is first time that extensive research has confirmed anecdotal reports about the introduced pests’ effect on the native predator.

Researcher Doctor Mike Letnic, says they studied crocodile populations before and after the cane toad arrived in the district.

He says the worst damage was in the arid areas during the dry season.

“The rivers are essentially an oasis and the crocodiles live in the river, but the landscape is dry and during the dry season the cane toads congregate on the edge of the water where they encounter the crocodiles.

“They turn the table on the predator.”

He says freshwater crocs are more susceptible to the pest than their saltwater cousins.

Saltwater crocodiles appear to be more resistant to the toxin than the freshwater crocodiles and the reason for that is probably because saltwater crocodiles occur throughout southern Asia where some toad species also exist, so it’s likely that the saltwater crocodiles evolved with species similar to cane toads.”

Will pygmy crocodiles be first Australian species extinction from cane toads? Here.

Snakes sink fangs into cane toad: here.

Australian military intervention ‘brought cane toads to E Timor’: here.

1 Comment »

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  1. From the egg, baby crocs call out:
    Pre-hatching calls actually mean something to the
    siblings and mothers, researchers have found.

    http://www.world-science.net/othernews/080622_crocs

    Comment by Administrator — June 24, 2008 @ 1:57 am

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