The issue of invasive species first came to my attention by the creature in the photo on top. The creature is the cane toad (Rhinella marina), which I first got to know from a documentary from National Geographic, Killer Cane Toad.
Much has been forgotten from the documentary, hence I looked up the internet to refresh my memory on the issue again.
Here is what I found. Cane toad was first introduced into Australia in 1935 by Reginald Mungomery to tackle the issue of canegrubs damaging the cane roots which affects crop yield. The cane toad was introduced to act a predator to these canegrubs which up to 13 different species and are native to Australia. Cane toad has been reportedly to have solved similar problems in the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Before the introduction there was no toad species on the Australia continent. The toads did not …show more content…
Despite success of the introduction in the Philippines, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, it does not mean that it will be successful in Australia as all the environments are different in their own ways, whether it is the climate or the collection of species in them. The differences led to how the system adapt to the new alien species and determine if the species can blend into the environment or becomes the nightmare to the environment. Also the introduction of cane toads may seem as a great natural way to control the beetle population on the cane field without the use of pesticides at first, however without proper research and studies it is just a transfer of impacts from one form to another. Hence when studying the consequences of introduction of a species, we should study it from the most basic to the widest level and always prepare for the worst as like what Sean Hanna once said,” Once an invasive species arrives, it's about impossible to get rid of
Much has been forgotten from the documentary, hence I looked up the internet to refresh my memory on the issue again.
Here is what I found. Cane toad was first introduced into Australia in 1935 by Reginald Mungomery to tackle the issue of canegrubs damaging the cane roots which affects crop yield. The cane toad was introduced to act a predator to these canegrubs which up to 13 different species and are native to Australia. Cane toad has been reportedly to have solved similar problems in the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Before the introduction there was no toad species on the Australia continent. The toads did not …show more content…
Despite success of the introduction in the Philippines, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, it does not mean that it will be successful in Australia as all the environments are different in their own ways, whether it is the climate or the collection of species in them. The differences led to how the system adapt to the new alien species and determine if the species can blend into the environment or becomes the nightmare to the environment. Also the introduction of cane toads may seem as a great natural way to control the beetle population on the cane field without the use of pesticides at first, however without proper research and studies it is just a transfer of impacts from one form to another. Hence when studying the consequences of introduction of a species, we should study it from the most basic to the widest level and always prepare for the worst as like what Sean Hanna once said,” Once an invasive species arrives, it's about impossible to get rid of