h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Cane Toad - Australia's Amphibian Plague - A12583361
Author: Galaxy Babe - Scout/ACE/Sub-Ed - U128652

for ease of jumping to the entry

I read it the other day, and only read the bottom bit today so I must have forgotten it.

Updated, although I'll wait for other comments on the two snakes story.

One of Hel 2's dogs is a bulldog, and I wouldn't describe that as a large dog, is it any worse affected than your larger dog, Hel 2?

the bulldog is my larger dog, it is an australian bulldog, and he weighs 30kgs, the other dog is an english bull terrier crossed with a red heeler, he weighs in at 23kgs, an no diff in effect, both foam at the mouth and stagger

Found this at http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/OLC/detail.asp?browseBy=topic&x=&y=184

Excerpt:
'Amazing Facts
Some birds and rodents have found a way to eat cane toads without being exposed to the toxin. After killing a toad, they turn it on its back, pull away the toad’s soft belly skin, and eat its internal, toxin-free organs, leaving the skin and parotid glands behind. Some native rats have learned to eat only the legs of cane toads.'

Great Entry btw.

Then there's the Great Cane Toad Trap Competition

http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/wildlife/animals/canetoads/competition.html

Surprisingly, these all look passive and don't involve explosives at all

Someone must have forgotten to inform any rednecks of this competition.

Thanks a lot, pailaway

Updating now

And how about some nice cane toad leather products?

http://www.roopooco.com/toad_intro.htm

The cane toad bum bag is a must-have.

Thanks pailaway

Added:

Toad Skin Products:
The skin of the humanely-killed toads can be treated and turned into useful leather items such as mobile-phone covers, lighter cases, hatbands, shoulder bags, key fobs, coin purses and golfball holders.

I can't link to that site, as it's a commercial one.

That works

I've credited you as additional researcher, but you won't see it until it's edited. (Unless you do the http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/test12583361 diagnostic of course)

>>Although nothing is stated about what to do with them afterwards, it goes without saying that they shouldn't be ingested by humans, even accidentally, so burying them would be a good idea.<<

Here is a link on disposal that discourages inhumane disposal, contains examples of inhumane disposal, extolls humane disposal, explains how freezing works, and suggests what to do with the toad(s) afterwards.

http://www.fdrproject.org/pages/TDdispose.htm

Excerpt:
The most humane way to kill juvenile and adult cane toads is to catch them and put them into a secure container with air holes (plastic takeaway food containers are ideal). Put the container in a refrigerator overnight which causes the toad to go into a coma-like state. Then move the container to the freezer the next morning and freeze until the next garbage collection day or freeze it for a couple days and then bury them in the backyard compost bin or garden bed.

Btw, thanks for credit as additional researcher, but really - this is peer review after all and I'm just throwing stuff in from the sidelines and not doing any actual work.

Thanks!!
Updated

You've helped a great deal

"I can't link to that site, as it's a commercial one."

You can, the rules are there to prevent people making a living out of posting commercial links, rather than stopping people using a link that happens to sells something.

There are loads of sites out there, but none of them are really very much good. Try searching for 'cane toad products' and choose one you like.

Oh, thanks! I didn't realise.

I'll link to pailaway's proffered website

(it is actually a link that, although commercial, is referred to by other fairly official looking australian websites - personally I think that some of the products would scare little children if their parents were to actually wear them, as the bum bag for example which would be at about eye-level, but you just gotta love the concept )

Yes, I'm all for recycling...

Added a new section: "One Possible Predator"

That looks good, for both the entry and for australia

Here's a few little things I noticed during the re-read:

1) I didn't actually know what a billabong was (I gather it's like what we call a backwater or a bayou) and tried to find a good link with a photo but was unsuccessful, unless you count the other encyclopedia which actually had a pretty good photo. I wonder if any aussies reading this would be able to offer suggestions.

2) >>They are eaten by creatures who think they are native frogs<<
I know you don't mean 'they think they themselves are native frogs' but mean instead 'they think the cane toads are native frogs' - so you might try:
>>They are eaten by creatures who mistake them for native frogs<<

3) Did I say 'a few things'? It appears there were only two things. Oh wait, I guess this is the third thing - but this has nothing to do with the entry. Ok, nevermind.