Cane toad on the loose 'a threat'

By ANNE BESTON

A warty, venomous toad on the loose in an Auckland suburb makes other unwanted visitors seem tame by comparison.

But Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry staff believe the juvenile cane toad (Bufo marinus) inadvertently released in Henderson is too young to breed.

The toad is believed to have hitched a ride in the luggage of a woman who had returned from a trip to Fiji. It was about the size of a 50c piece.

An adult cane toad, which grows to an average 15cm, is about the size of a human hand.

MAF's exotic animal response co-ordinator Amelia Pascoe said it was highly unlikely the young toad was capable of breeding, but it did pose a threat to New Zealand's native frogs because it was likely to be carrying foreign pests and diseases.

The ministry has letter-dropped residents within a 500m radius of the toad's release point, asking them to look out for it but also warning them to glove up if they find it.

"People attempting to capture the toad should wear gloves and even protective glasses as cane toads under extreme duress can spray a toxic secretion through their pores for a distance of up to one metre," Ms Pascoe said.

Cane toads secrete a toxin from glands on their shoulders which causes irritation to eyes and skin and in extreme cases, where the toxin is ingested, can cause the heart to slow.

Pigs, dogs and cats have died after eating or coming into contact with cane toads.

Anyone who found the toad should put it in a moist container with plenty of air and phone the ministry's exotic pest emergency hotline, Ms Pascoe said.

Cane toads have olive to reddish brown skin covered in warts with a bony ridge over each eye.

They are the largest toad in the world. The female can lay 20,000 eggs at a time, in long, jelly-like strings.

Cane toads were deliberately introduced to Queensland, Australia, in 1935 to control a sugar cane beetle, but have become a serious pest.

They have spread into New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

MAF's emergency pest hotline is 0800 809-966.