Sydney safe from toad invasion

City of Sydney residents needn’t worry about a cane toad invasion just yet.

The Daily Telegraph reported last Wednesday that increased numbers of toads, including baby toads had been found in Taren Point, in Sydney’s South.

But Rick Shine, Professor in Biology at the University of Sydney, said that the City is not under a cane toad threat.

“Sydney is just a bit too cold for toads – these are basically tropical animals,” he said.

“A toad can certainly live comfortably in Sydney through the summer months, but long-term their prospects are pretty weak.”

Craig Shephard from the National Parks and Wildlife Service said cane toads found were “hitchhikers”.

“We speculate that they’re being transported most likely in trucks, and probably in a variety of materials such as construction materials and mulch,” he said.

“Historically over the last 10 years, they’re the two types of materials they’ve been transported in.”

The Frog and Tadpole Study Group of NSW (FATS) collects approximately 40 to 50 cane toads a year from the Sydney metropolitan area, mostly from areas close to plant nurseries and building supplies depots.

Helpline spokesperson Lothar Voigt said the cane toads found in Taren Point would not be able to migrate to the CBD.

“It can’t be done,” he said.

Mr Shephard said evidence suggested so far the pests had been unable to establish colonies once they arrived.

“When they breed, [they] actually call … that’s an indicator that cane toads have established a colony,” he said.

“To date they have been no recordings or observations of cane toads calling in Taren Point or Southern Sydney.”

Mr Shephard stressed that people who think they’ve found a cane toad should not kill it.

“What they need to do is contact their local council or national park,” he said.

“We’ve found out over the last year that approximately 80 percent of reported cane toads turn out to be native frogs.”