The Gold Coast Bulletin

PARK’S PESTS FACING TOADAL EXTERMINAT­ION

- KATE PARASKEVOS

DREAMWORLD has declared it’s toad hunting season with their tenth annual Toadal Recall event taking place tonight.

Alana Legge, wildlife supervisor at Dreamworld, said the event would see more than 150 participan­ts compete to catch as many cane toads as possible at the theme park in just one hour.

“We humanely euthanise all the toads we catch and we are aiming to catch around 300 this time,” she said.

“We put them in the fridge overnight then in the freezer, which is the recommenda­tion approved by an ethics committee.”

Fifi the massive two kilogram cane toad is safe from the freezer though – she’s been used in education programs at the park for the past eight years.

Dreamworld has also partnered with the University of Queensland to join their Toad Challenge initiative. The University has developed a bait using the toxin from adult toads which is used to attract and trap toad tadpoles.

“This is particular­ly useful as toads can lay up to 30,000 eggs at a time,” Ms Legge said. “All life stages of the toad are toxic to most wildlife and pets.”

 ?? Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS ?? Alana Legge, wildlife supervisor at Dreamworld, holding Fifi the cane toad.
Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS Alana Legge, wildlife supervisor at Dreamworld, holding Fifi the cane toad.

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