Jun

24

2008
 
 

Shed a tear for a croc



Scientists discover widespread crocodile die-off at cane toad invasion front

crocodile tears... You wouldn’t think a frog could kill a crocodile, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Australia’s Northern Territory. The invasion by cane toads Bufo marinus – a highly toxic South American species – has given scientists a unique set of lessons on the destructive power evolution can unleash upon a non-adapted ecosystem. In the latest installment, Mike Letnic and colleagues at the University of Sydney report a mass die-off of freshwater crocodiles Crocodylus johnstoni at the invasion front. Ironically, the arid conditions that make a cane toad’s life difficult leads them to seek refuge in the few available water bodies, which also tend to be home to the hungry crocs. The decimation – populations were reduced by as much as 73 percent – could have widespread ecological consequences, writes Letnic in Biological Conservation. However, selection weaves its magic in many ways, and crocs will probably either learn not to eat cane toads or develop tolerance to their poison. Either way, the problem should be over in a snap! Source: Letnic M, Webb JK & Shine R (2008) Invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) cause mass mortality of freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) in tropical Australia. Biol. Conserv. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2008.04.031

Image: © Stanko Mravljak

Filed Under Endangered species, Habitat, Invasive species, Fresh water, Monitoring | 

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