Cat food 'solution' to Australia's cane toad scourge - News - Evening Standard
       

Cat food 'solution' to Australia's cane toad scourge

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19 February 2010

Cat food may be the solution to reducing the number of cane toads in Australia, which environmentalists have tried for years to stop killing wildlife.

Scientists from the University of Sydney said that putting cat food close to ponds inhabited by baby toads attracts carnivorous ants that are immune to the toads' poisonous skin. The ants then eat the toads.

"In one spot we tested, 98 per cent of the baby toads were attacked within the first two minutes," said researcher Rick Shine.

"It was a bit like a massacre.

"Baby toads are incredibly stupid and their reaction to being attacked is to freeze."

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