Tweed residents are invited to join the annual Community Cane Toad Control Challenge with 2 toad busting challenges this February and March aimed at reducing the impact of cane toads on the local wildlife and environment.
The challenges are timed for the warmer months when cane toads are most active. Each challenge has exciting prizes up for grabs for the teams who remove the most cane toads from their area during the week-long events.
Cane toads are damaging, invasive pests that have significant environmental and social impacts on Tweed's wildlife. They also have an extraordinary breeding capacity, with each female capable of laying up to 35,000 eggs per clutch and producing multiple clutches each year.
Council's Pest Animals Wildlife Protection Program Leader, Pamela Gray, said community-led toad control is currently one of the most effective ways for localised management of this pest.
"A community-wide effort can be really powerful," Ms Gray said.
"We can establish safe havens for biodiversity in our backyards and free up food and breeding resources for native species."
In addition to the cane toad challenges, Council will be hosting a Cane Toad Control Information Webinar to give potential cane toad busters, and other members of the community, cane toad knowledge to help them protect their local environment. The webinar will include tips on how to identify cane toads, cane toad control methods and steps to follow for RSPCA-approved humane euthanasia. Information about the webinar will be added to Tweed Shire Council's cane toad webpage on Wednesday 28 January.
For the cane toad busting challenges, community members are encouraged to team up with friends and family. The aim is to collect cane toads from their local area and then log the number of toads collected online to enter the draw for prizes. The team or individual who collects the most cane toads wins.
"Get the kids outside and help protect our incredible environment together," Ms Gray said.
All cane toads collected can be delivered to designated drop-off points across the Tweed Shire or disposed of using humane euthanasia methods.
Event details
Tweed Online Toad Busting Challenge #1
Friday 30 January - Sunday 8 February 2025
