The study, published in the Society for Conservation Biology's journal Conservation Letters, found the technique had a significant impact on main

Researchers train goannas not to eat cane toads in WA Kimberley region

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2024-04-17 04:30:02

The study, published in the Society for Conservation Biology's journal Conservation Letters, found the technique had a significant impact on maintaining population numbers.

Working alongside Bunuba Rangers and wildlife management agencies, researchers introduced yellow-spotted monitors – a type of goanna – to small doses of the cane toad toxin, ahead of the "cane toad frontline" in Western Australia's Kimberley region.

"We actually give goannas small doses of cane toad toxin that makes them sick but doesn't kill them and then they can learn from that experience," she said.

Dr Ward-Fear said large, toxic adult cane toads tended to be at the forefront of the areas they were invading and that they killed any animal they interacted with.

"What we do is we bring baby cane toads from behind the frontline to just ahead of the frontline so that animals have a potential learning experience with a small cane toad," she said.