EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Invasive species Because they have no natural predators in Australia, will eat almost anything, and reproduce easily, they spread quickly and widely. Cane toads in Australia now number into the millions, and their still-expanding range covers thousands of square miles in northeastern Australia.

Detailed explanation-2: -Cane toads have been linked to the decline and extinction of several native predator species in the Northern Territory and Queensland, including the northern quoll. Their toxin is strong enough to kill most native animals that normally eat frogs or frog eggs, including birds, other frogs, reptiles and mammals.

Detailed explanation-3: -Cane toads were introduced as a pest-control device. Farmers hoped the amphibians would eat insects that damaged sugar-cane crops.

Detailed explanation-4: -Further, cane toads can tolerate salinity levels up to 15 percent. The most profound advantage cane toads have over native species however, both prey and predator alike, is their toxicity. Fish that eat the tadpoles die; animals that eat the adult toads die.