There are many different perspectives on cane toads from various people and organizations in Australia. Some may believe that all Australians think negatively about the cane toads due to their rapid invasion and negative impact on the ecosystem; however, there are people who advocate for the protection of these cane toads.The most common view of this invasive species is cane toads are pests, which must be removed and eradicated from Australia. Many do not care for the health of these cane toads and remove them by force when given the opportunity. Most Australian civilians brutally beat cane toads, or as they call it, “practice their swing on them” with a golf club. Other ways to decrease the toad population are hitting them with sticks, suffocating them, or putting them in the freezer. (Phillips, 2011)Some civilians even run the cane toads over with their vehicles. Australian civilian Brent Vincent describes his experience of killing cane toads, "If the toad is facing towards the vehicle,
the air that's inside the toad is trapped within the head and blown out towards the back end, and the toad really goes off with a bang - like a balloon going off." (Phillips, 2011) Clearly shown by their cruel tactics for removing the toads, Australian civilians are fed up with these animals and the impact the toads have on the community. Some ways in which cane toads impact communities are: ruining water holes and drinking supplies with the venomous toxins, and killing household pets who lick the toads out of curiosity. Civilians won’t allow the problem to worsen to the point where a small child dies from coming in contact with the toads, so Australian communities have been forcefully removing cane toads by any means necessary.
Contrary to these forceful tactics, organizations such as Animals Australia believe that killing any animal is bad, despite their negative impact. This animal rights group advocates for safer tactics for eradicating cane toads--ones that do not involve torturing the toads. Many animal rights activists argue that the Australians who kill cane toads mercifully are hypocrites. Harsh tactics are not being used against other invasive species, such as rabbits. Rabbits in Australia cause over $100 million in damage to crops every year, which negatively impacts the food consumption rates in Australia (Phillips, 2011). There aren’t many stories of rabbit brutality, which is why animal rights activists argue that cane toad killers are speciesists. Speciesism is the assumption of human superiority leading to the exploitation of animals, such as cane toads. Activists believe that Australian civilians have little hesitation in killing cane toads because they are “cold and ugly”, while rabbits are “cute and furry” (Phillips, 2011). Animals Australia advocates safer ways to eradicate cane toads as Australians have done for the rabbits, which are as equally bad if not worse to the Australian community and ecosystem.
In response to animal rights groups, the Invasive Species Council of Australia raises a very important point that a decision has to be made regarding which animals should have precedence over the others. Carol Booth, the policy officer of Invasive Species Council, argues that if feral species such as cane toads are not eradicated, then many other native Australian animals will suffer from injury and death. In perspective of Booth, by protecting cane toads, Animal rights groups are advocating the extinction of native animals and the degradation of ecosystems (Phillips, 2011). Should native animals have to suffer an unpleasant death by cane toads and ultimately decline in population? Additionally, deaths of certain animals can negatively change the whole course of the food chain, shifting the balance of the ecosystem. Those involved in Australia's Invasive Species Council believe that those in the community must make a decision: the preservation of Australia’s ecosystem or the preservation of the lives of the invasive cane toads (Phillips, 2011)?
Another perspective is from the Kakadu National Park’s rangers. Recently, cane toads have invaded the national park and have been killing off native fauna. When acting as predators, the toads attack fish, frogs, mice, and birds. When acting as prey to animals such as crocodiles, snakes, and birds, cane toads cause harm too. In an attempt at eating the cane toads, the native fauna ingest the poisonous toxins and consequently die. For example, the quoll, a marsupial native to Australia, is constantly threatened by the cane toad because the quoll cannot differentiate between a cane toad and any other type of frog, so quolls frequently hunt cane toads for their meals (Van Dam, Walden, Begg, 2002). Unfortunately, after ingesting the bufotoxins, the quoll dies. This is a very common occurence in Australia, and quoll populations have been growing closer to extinction as more quolls are feasting on these poisonous cane toads. In the case of the quoll as well as other fauna, cane toads ensure that they are the animal's last meal. In addition to the rapid decrease of native fauna populations, aboriginal communities in Kakudu are being affected by the toads as well. The cane toads contaminate water supplies with their bufotoxins and rotting carcasses, leaving the community to struggle with finding a solution. in order to control cane toad populations, workers humanely dispose of the “jelly strands” of cane toad eggs that are found in bodies of water (Van Dam, Walden, Begg, 2002). Also fine-mesh fences are put up around bodies of water to prevent the toads from laying their eggs in the water. Overall, Kakudu’s National Park rangers view cane toads as invasive pests, and are trying newly implemented tactics to decrease their population.
Despite the Australian’s common opinion of viewing cane toads as invasive species, there are various perspectives on how to tackle these pests. Some tactics of eradicating the toads are arguably inhumane, while others are protecting the toads’ lives. What Australia has to decide is: what tactics will they use collectively?the air that's inside the toad is trapped within the head and blown out towards the back end, and the toad really goes off with a bang - like a balloon going off." (Phillips, 2011) Clearly shown by their cruel tactics for removing the toads, Australian civilians are fed up with these animals and the impact the toads have on the community. Some ways in which cane toads impact communities are: ruining water holes and drinking supplies with the venomous toxins, and killing household pets who lick the toads out of curiosity. Civilians won’t allow the problem to worsen to the point where a small child dies from coming in contact with the toads, so Australian communities have been forcefully removing cane toads by any means necessary.
Contrary to these forceful tactics, organizations such as Animals Australia believe that killing any animal is bad, despite their negative impact. This animal rights group advocates for safer tactics for eradicating cane toads--ones that do not involve torturing the toads. Many animal rights activists argue that the Australians who kill cane toads mercifully are hypocrites. Harsh tactics are not being used against other invasive species, such as rabbits. Rabbits in Australia cause over $100 million in damage to crops every year, which negatively impacts the food consumption rates in Australia (Phillips, 2011). There aren’t many stories of rabbit brutality, which is why animal rights activists argue that cane toad killers are speciesists. Speciesism is the assumption of human superiority leading to the exploitation of animals, such as cane toads. Activists believe that Australian civilians have little hesitation in killing cane toads because they are “cold and ugly”, while rabbits are “cute and furry” (Phillips, 2011). Animals Australia advocates safer ways to eradicate cane toads as Australians have done for the rabbits, which are as equally bad if not worse to the Australian community and ecosystem.
In response to animal rights groups, the Invasive Species Council of Australia raises a very important point that a decision has to be made regarding which animals should have precedence over the others. Carol Booth, the policy officer of Invasive Species Council, argues that if feral species such as cane toads are not eradicated, then many other native Australian animals will suffer from injury and death. In perspective of Booth, by protecting cane toads, Animal rights groups are advocating the extinction of native animals and the degradation of ecosystems (Phillips, 2011). Should native animals have to suffer an unpleasant death by cane toads and ultimately decline in population? Additionally, deaths of certain animals can negatively change the whole course of the food chain, shifting the balance of the ecosystem. Those involved in Australia's Invasive Species Council believe that those in the community must make a decision: the preservation of Australia’s ecosystem or the preservation of the lives of the invasive cane toads (Phillips, 2011)?
 |
| https://mandarox.wordpress.com/tag/australia/ Australia's endangered native Quoll |
Another perspective is from the Kakadu National Park’s rangers. Recently, cane toads have invaded the national park and have been killing off native fauna. When acting as predators, the toads attack fish, frogs, mice, and birds. When acting as prey to animals such as crocodiles, snakes, and birds, cane toads cause harm too. In an attempt at eating the cane toads, the native fauna ingest the poisonous toxins and consequently die. For example, the quoll, a marsupial native to Australia, is constantly threatened by the cane toad because the quoll cannot differentiate between a cane toad and any other type of frog, so quolls frequently hunt cane toads for their meals (Van Dam, Walden, Begg, 2002). Unfortunately, after ingesting the bufotoxins, the quoll dies. This is a very common occurence in Australia, and quoll populations have been growing closer to extinction as more quolls are feasting on these poisonous cane toads. In the case of the quoll as well as other fauna, cane toads ensure that they are the animal's last meal. In addition to the rapid decrease of native fauna populations, aboriginal communities in Kakudu are being affected by the toads as well. The cane toads contaminate water supplies with their bufotoxins and rotting carcasses, leaving the community to struggle with finding a solution. in order to control cane toad populations, workers humanely dispose of the “jelly strands” of cane toad eggs that are found in bodies of water (Van Dam, Walden, Begg, 2002). Also fine-mesh fences are put up around bodies of water to prevent the toads from laying their eggs in the water. Overall, Kakudu’s National Park rangers view cane toads as invasive pests, and are trying newly implemented tactics to decrease their population.
References:
Phillips S. 2011. ABC Environment [online]. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2011/01/17/3113142.htm. Accessed 2014 February 3.
Van Dam RA, Walden DJ, Begg GW 2002. A Prelimanary Risk Assessment of Cane Toads in Kakadu National Park. http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/118a8ac8-72cd-4fea-8cd8-8de4b3e07fe2/files/ssr164.pdf. Accessed: 2014 February 8.
Wordpress (2012) Australian Mammals Rant. Reviews and Rants. https://mandarox.wordpress.com/tag/australia/. Accessed: 2014 February 19.
Youtube (2012) Australia- Killing a cane toad with a golf club in Queensland. Youtube. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgl053z3xJg. Accessed 2014 February
19.
No comments:
Post a Comment