If you are fencing to keep out cane toads, then you will be certainly keeping out the same wildlife that you are trying to protect. Not all animals can negotiate or climb fences.

Many animals move around from backyard to backyard in Kununurra in search of food and mates. The network of backyards in Kununurra are a unique ecosystem. The animals present there change throughout the year. During the wet season build-up backyards become important refuge areas for many native species. By fencing your backyard species diversity is likely to decrease greater than by hand collection of cane toads. The area of an average backyard is simply not big enough to sustain many animals.

Research undertaken by DEC has shown that some snakes and other reptiles have a home range larger than 10km (pers com Bill Stewart). Blue Tongue lizards have a home range greater than the average backyard.

We need to think about all animals in the food chain, from top species all the way down to the small microscopic ones.

Hand collection once or twice a week has been shown to reduce cane toads in the immediate area and doing this on an ongoing basis will allow other wildlife to flourish or make a come back.

A resident of Queensland who recently moved to Townsville removed toads from his backyard by busting once a week and has seen other frogs move in to take their place. This would not be possible if a toad proof fence had been installed.

A resident in Humpty Doo regularly collected cane toads every couple of days when they first arrived and removed any sign of breeding. His place is still toad free despite having a large wetland and he still enjoys seeing wildlife. Effort when toads first arrive will pay off, you can control cane toads in your backyard.

Movement of Cane Toads in the Kununurra area has been dramatically slowed down by controlling breeding and metamorphs, along with hand catching.

Some easy methods of making your property unfriendly to toads.

1. Lifting water bowls off the ground.
2. Ponds should have steep sides with no recess. Toads really love flat surfaces and shallow water, think gravel pit and you are thinking ideal toad habitat.
3. Keep outside light use to a minimum as toads are attracted by the insects.
4. Look for cane toads once or twice a week. Toads are most active at night and can often be heard calling. During the day toads love warm moist places to hide in including garden debris, under matting, logs and burrows.
5. Look for tadpoles and metamorphs breeding during the day. Tadpoles can be netted. Metamorphs can be sucked up with a vacuum cleaners or a leaf Blower using suction rather than blowing.

A fence around a dam will not remove toads from an area as they can rehydrate using any moisture, eg it has been observed that toads will sit on fresh cow pats.

Toad fencing is not fire proof and with the current fire regime in the East Kimberley fence maintenance will be an ongoing cost in money and time.

Initial cost of fencing materials and energy to install could be better utilized.

Maintenance of fencing will be of ongoing nature

By-catch is a concern. During a presentation by Mike Letnic at The Caring for the Kimberley Environmental Forum, about strategic fencing in semi arid areas around turkey nest dams in the upper areas of the Victoria River the fences were producing by-catch on a nightly basis. Any fence will have to be checked on a nightly basis. This will be a manpower issue. By-catch is also produced even with ‘wildlife gates.’ Wildlife is not used to using gates.

Fencing will give a false sense of security of eliminating or controlling of toads. Within 7 days of a fence being removed, toads will re-inhabit the area. (personal observations by KTB volunteers).

Please contact KTB for further information and if you require assistance with removing toads or any evidence of breeding on 91682576 or fieldcoordinator@canetoads.com.au