SPECIES AT WAR

SPECIES AT WAR

TOAD INVASION 

In 1935, Australian farmers brought cane toads from Hawaii to protect their sugar cane from beetles. Unfortunately, the toads did not eliminate the beetles and there are now more than 200 million cane toads in Australia.

Multiple Choice

According to the text above, what year did the toads arrive in Australia?

• In 1945

• In 1935

• In 1395

• In 1984

Multiple Choice

What's The Difference Between a Frog and a Toad?

Choose the toad image.

TOAD INVASION

The toads´skin is poisonous. "Lizards, birds and snakes eat cane toads and then often die", explains Dr. Ben Phillips, of Sydney University. Some species may soon disappear, if we don´t get rid of the toads. 

Multiple Select

Look at the photos.

Multiple Choice

What do you think links these animals?

• People brought them to Australia.

• They are all dangerous to people.

• They eat each other.

TOAD INVASION

• Recently, scientists have discovered a worm that attacks toads' lungs and kills them. They are planning to use the worm to fight the cane toad. 

• First, the scientists will need to answer some important questions. What will happen when we put this worm into the Australian environment? 

• If the worm only kills the cane toads, it will be good news. But if it attacks other animals, it will destroy species we want to protect. 

Open Ended

What problem do cane toads create in Australia?

TOAD INVASION

At the same time, nature has found a solution. In the last 70 years, the heads of two species of snakes have become smaller. Snakes with small heads eat smaller toads and smaller toads are less poisonous. If natural selection works, in twenty years most snakes will have smaller heads. It´s  great that nature can solve its problems. 

Open Ended

What solution have people found to the problem and what solution has nature found?

Open Ended

What do people do to save endangered animals in your country?