| KTB have contributed over 1,500,000 hours of volunteer time into eradicating cane toads. |
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KTB now have their "what's in your Backyard?" programme operating in remote schools as far away as Fitzroy and Derby.
“It is clear from KTB that there is little understanding from Scientists or government on cane toad behavior and what drives them to continue their westward march. This lack of understanding by scientists and government only reinforces that there has been no real research into toad diet and impact on invertebrate species-the building blocks of biodiversity”.
Ruth Duncan. KTB Environmental Scientist
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The Kimberley Toad Busters Inc. are the only volunteer group on the ground, twelve months of the year, fighting to slow down the advance of the cane toad into WA and to mitigate its impact on Kimberley native wildlife.
Kimberley Toad Busters have weighed, measured and sexed every adult toad caught. Any unusual behavioural pattern is recorded. Large adult toads are autopsied to record diet and to look for the presence of the Lungworm Parasite.KTB are as much about gathering scientific data as it is about cane toad education and 'busting' toads.
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Our Patron Mary G.
ORIC photo
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Where is the WA Cane Toad Front Line?
Explorer Toads are still few in numbers around Kununurra, with the main central front line still near the Lake Argyle Road. Kimberley Toad Busters commends the community on their vigilance in noticing toads and contacting KTB. Hand busting and breeding control has made a huge impact.
Click here for main up-date.
2010 March Environmental Forum!
The recent Kimberley Toad Busters “Caring for the Kimberley Environmental Forum” was a huge success with more that 40 speakers over the 3 days and over 400 participants. There were speakers from government agencies, research scientists, and community experts with topics ranging from cane toad control, fire management and other environmental issues in the Kimberley. Scientific and other papers presented at this forum will be published on this website and will also be available in hard copy by the end of May. A very clear outcome was the realisation by Scientists attending that KTB that this commuity had a lot to offer scientists. Many of the attendees stated it was one of the best organised and informative environmental forums that they had ever attended. .
Kimberley Toad Busters would also like to congratulate all the entrants in the wildlife photography competition (with 145 entries) and the environmental art competition. The winner of the photography was Christine Tooke and Kimberley Kohan was the winner of the most visiual environmental art piece. Click here for more information. |
| Does Community toad busting efforts make a difference?
KTB volunteers are making a difference.
The northern and southern most cane toad corridors making their way into WA moved up to 65 kilometers due to wet season access issues. The central corridor comprising the Victoria Highway, Keep River National Park and the Rosewood Station area only moved 15 kilometers. KTB have spent two years diligently taking out any new breeding as well as removing as many adult toads as possible.
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KTB March 2010 Cane Toad Forum
"Many thanks for the opportunity to attend your forum, even if only for a limited extent...the sessions were very interesting but, far more importantly, the community involvement was nothing short of astonishing. Well done. If I can assist in any way in the future you only have to ask".
Jeremy Russell-Smith |
" What's In Your Back yard?" Is a long-term community biodiversity survey program to encourage education, observation and enjoyment of the unique wildlife of the Kimberley. Scientific data for key predator species such as Monitors, Freshwater Crocodiles and Northern Quolls indicate little evidence of population recovery. However, little or no data exists for other species across the food web that will be indirectly impacted by the loss of food resources due to competition with cane toads. Scientists alone studying a handful of research sites cannot answer this question. There is a real need for communtiy to become empowered to assist in recording biodiversity data., Download the forms you need at our data form input page.
Follow this link to find cards displaying the Biodiversity of the Kimberly. |
Click on image for latest map showing positions of the cane toad |
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- International Recognition
The KTB Environmental Cane Toad Forun and "what's in your backyard?" program have been recognised on the International Year of Biodiversity Schedule of events. These are the first and only Australian events to be awarded this status!
- Argyle Diamond Mine has kindly donated a four wheel drive station wagon to the KTB for our KTB's "whats in your backyard?" program. This has enabled KTB's to bring this program to isolated indigenous schools through out the Kimberley.
- In a Nutshell! The work of the KTB of almost 5 years has observed that
- Toad population numbers have been reduced at the colonising frontlines heading towards WA!
- Breeding has been markedly reduced!
- Overall size of mature toads has been reduced!
- The Lungworm Parasite has almost caught up with the frontline!
- The frontline appears to be slowing down!
- There is a marked reduction on the impact of toads on our native wildlife due to reduced toad numbers!
“A Cane toad ‘Corridor’ may signify colonising toad movement through several aquatic or terrestrial systems. ‘Signatures’ of this movement can be recognised by a predominantly male toad population and evidence of subsequent breeding”. Ben Scott-Virtue. KTB Field Coordinator. |
"The Territory has benefitted from the work of the Kimberley Toad Busters,
who have regularly travelled up to 400km into the Northern Territory to
capture...cane toads..."
Northern Territory Minister for Natural Resources,
Environment and Heritage,
Alison Anderson, 16 January 2009.
click here for entire article
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"It is important to recognise that the pristine terrestrial and aquatic habitat systems of the Kimberley are already under threat. Current land care and resource management policies undertaken by land and resource managers have had a detrimental impact on Kimberley biodiversity. Most of our plant and animal biodiversity is in a fragile state. The impact of the cane toad, if allowed to happen, will literally destroy one of the last unique biodiversity wilderness frontiers in Australia," Lee Scott-Virtue. Kimberley Specialists in Research. |
"The Kimberley Toad Busters are leaders in the unprecedented community response to the threat posed by cane toads to Western Australia and I commend the passion and commitment of your members,"
Director General DEC. Keiran McNamara, 19 January 2009
"I'd like to congratulate your group on its efforts to halt the spread of cane toads to Western Australia...Your work eradicating 350,000 cane toads from the Territory's Victoria River region is greatly appreciated,"
Northern Territory Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage, Alison Anderson, 16 January 2009.
"Toad busting has become important to Aboriginal people and helps to get our young people away from the towns and makes them feel they are doing something worthwhile". Maryanne Winton, KTB INdigenous Field Coordinator. |
| KTB have had over five thousand volunteers in the field. |
| KTB have pulled over 500,000 cane toads out of the environment. |
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KTB have also removed countless millions of eggs, tadpoles and metamorphs from the environment.
“Explorer Toads.
It has long been recognised by KTB that ‘travellers’ or ‘explorer’ toads move ahead of the colonising front. Future research needs to focus on ‘the why?
Ben Scott-Virtue. KTB Field Coordinator.
"Congrats to …. KTB/KSR on a great conference! I have been to four cane toad conferences, and this one was not only the best, but it was the only one to achieve real rapport within and among the different groups. Great job".
Sean Doody.
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