Aussie scientists use toxic mash to turn predators off toadsAustralian scientists are serving up mashed cane toad with a dash of poison to put predators off eating the toxic aliens. The cane toads, which carry poisonous sacs on their heads that can kill animals as big as crocodiles within minutes, are spreading rapidly westwards across the country despite efforts to eradicate them. "Native predators are actually pretty capable of learning to avoid cane toads if given the chance," University of Sydney The University of Sydney, established in Sydney in 1850, is the oldest university in Australia. It is a member of Australia's "Group of Eight" Australian universities that are highly ranked in terms of their research performance. professor Rick Shine told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia's national public broadcaster, known previously as the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The ABC provides television, radio and online services throughout metropolitan and regional Australia, as well as this week. "We're learning about ways to educate the predators in advance of the toad front in ways that will help them survive" once the toad arrives in their territory. A marauding ma·raud v. ma·raud·ed, ma·raud·ing, ma·rauds v.intr. To rove and raid in search of plunder. v.tr. To raid or pillage for spoils. amphibian amphibian, in zoology amphibian, in zoology, cold-blooded vertebrate animal of the class Amphibia. There are three living orders of amphibians: the frogs and toads (order Anura, or Salientia), the salamanders and newts (order Urodela, or Caudata), and the , Bufo marinus was introduced to Australia in 1935 from Central and South America in an attempt to control beetles ravaging sugar cane fields in the tropical northeast. But, like many animals imported into Australia, the cane toad has turned into a pest, with recent research showing they have more than halved the number of crocodiles in some Northern Territory rivers. Attempts to minimise the damage focused on trying to kill the toads, but "it's hard to do and it's clear that the toad is by and large winning the battle," Shine said. "The invasion-front toads are all very big guys, so they've got a lot of poison, so the first toad you meet if you're a goanna goanna a large carrion-eating monitor (3) lizard. (lizard) is almost bound to a big one and it's almost bound to be your last meal." However, if predators ate a small toad that made them sick but was not big enough to kill them, they rapidly learned to avoid the warty wart n. 1. a. A hard rough lump growing on the skin, caused by infection with certain viruses and occurring typically on the hands or feet. b. A similar growth or protuberance, as on a plant. 2. hoppers, he said. So scientists are working on a programme of feeding animals such as crocodiles and goannas a mixture of toad bits and a poison to make them "desperately nauseous nauseous /nau·seous/ (naw´shus) pertaining to or producing nausea. nau·seous adj. 1. Causing nausea. 2. Affected with nausea. ." "(This will) convince predators that anything that looks and smells and tastes at all like a toad is a good thing to avoid," Shine said. Initial results showed that predators, including quolls -- carnivorous marsupials -- quickly learned that the aliens were not a good addition to their diet. "(It) suggests there is at least some hope that we can reduce the carnage that toads cause to these big predators," Shine said. 
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