The Environmental Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate’s biosecurity team has identified and secured an unexpected and intrusive male cane toad at the Yarralumla Wholesale Nursery earlier this month.
ACT Conservator of Flora and Fauna, Ian Walker said that while he was confident the incursion was limited to just one toad from a suspected shipment of nursery plants which arrived from Queensland, he still called on the community to stay vigilant and report any further suspected sightings.
“We are confident that there is no risk to Canberra’s environment because this one cane toad was inadvertently transported to Canberra on a truck,” Mr Walker said.
“Teams from across Government undertook an intensive search of the nursery and surrounding area over the weekend,” he said.
“No additional cane toads were located during these searches, indicating that this was an isolated incursion.”
Mr Walker said it was highly unlikely that a cane toad population would establish themselves so far south due to Canberra’s cold winter climate.
“This incident was treated seriously, and through the diligence of the nursery staff in their reporting and the quick investigation and action from those involved in the response, any possibility of a population of cane toads persisting in the nursery has been removed,” he said.
Mr Walker said that if anyone thought they’d seen a cane toad they shouldn’t kill it, as it was likely a native frog.
He suggested they exercise caution and take a close-up photograph and, while wearing rubber gloves and eye protection, put it into a well-ventilated container with one centimetre of water.
Then call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
