Rain late last week was expected to get Ashby’s cane toads out and about for the CVCIAs roundup last Friday night however volunteer toaders found toads were relatively scarce at many of the sites that had produced solid numbers of the pest in recent months.
Last March CVCIA Landcare returned to Ashby and collected 140 toads and information gleaned from that session has been applied on two round-ups in December and January this season when 574 and 479 toads were captured.
On Friday though, numbers plummeted with ‘only’ 271 toads being gathered up despite favourable toad weather, suggesting that the pressure from CVCIA Landcare volunteers and local landowners in recent months, combined with slowing of breeding activity due to the dry weather and receding breeding habitat, has had a marked effect.
Every outing provides extra information that CVCIA toaders are using to tighten the level of control at Ashby, and while more work needs to be done, it seems Ashby is set to follow the downward trend of other locations that are regularly patrolled by both volunteers and landowners.
The infamous Yamba Golf Course locally renowned for its strong cane toad population has seen toad numbers declining over the last 2-3 seasons in response to constant pressure from Friday night CVCIA Landcare round-ups and some extra efforts by volunteers and Friday night patrols are now collecting an average of 465 toads per night compared to 590 in the 16/17 year.
Brooms Head and Maclean have seen the average numbers of toads collected on Friday nights drop by a whopping 50% in just two seasons, while at Micalo island the trend is similar with current season averages down by 45% compared to the 16/17 season.
Landowners and volunteers involved in controlling cane toads can take great heed from these results and for those land managers who are yet to take up the challenge, these results demonstrate that direct action can be both effective and very rewarding.
This Friday toaders will again gather at the Yamba Golf Course to continue the battle against this perfect pest and all interested persons are welcome to join this trending nocturnal activity by meeting in the Club’s southern car park at 7.45pm armed with sturdy boots, a bright torch/headlamp, a lidded bucket (if available) and a sense of adventure, with any enquiries welcome by contacting Scott on 0477 616 210 or email scott@cvcia.org.au
Scott Lenton