Thousands of toxic toads killed in Australian fest

Source: AP

SYDNEY (AP) — Thousands of poisonous cane toads met their fate Sunday as gleeful Australians gathered for a celebratory mass killing of the hated amphibians, with many of the creatures' corpses being turned into fertilizer for the very farmers they've plagued for years.

Hundreds of participants in five communities across northern Queensland snacked on sausages, sipped cold drinks and picked up prizes as the portly pests were weighed, measured and killed in the state's inaugural "Toad Day Out" celebration.

"To see the look on the faces of the kids as we were handling and weighing the toads and then euthanizing them was just...," Townsville City Councilman Vern Veitch said, breaking off to let out a contented sigh. "The children really got into the character of the event."

The toads — which can grow up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) in length — were imported from South America to Queensland in 1935 in a failed attempt to control beetles on sugarcane plantations. Trouble was, the toads couldn't jump high enough to eat the beetles, which live on top of cane stalks.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPZ_nYhhJVeUcvbEEHh9MG0L_-GwD977J8200

how nature points out the folly of man...

GODZILLA!

The law of unintended consequences in all its glory.

They can get pretty big.

the amazon variation is actually much larger and can eat full grown rates. Its a shame they have to kill them, but I do have some understanding.

In one massive sting operation to get mr spud gun.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2983510846712982625&ei=VqDPSf_WBKL2qAPzl9W2CQ

Its amazing that I uploaded that 3 years ago.. I got permission from who did it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3ENUqV5-bw

Then of course that one.

I saw something about meat eating ants a few nights ago on the news. Once they've gotten rid of all the cane toads, what do they turn on to munch on next? I sure wouldn't want to be walking barefoot anywhere near any of them!