Cane toads found in gorge near Halls Creek
Kimberley Toad Busters hold grave concerns for wildlife living in a gorge near Halls Creek after three cane toads were found by scientists last week.
The toads are believed to have latched onto debris and sailed more than 40km down a flooded river system to infiltrate Marella Gorge.
Marella Gorge is located off Duncan Road, 150km east of Halls Creek and 20km from the Northern Territory border.
The gorge's ever-flowing waterfalls, deep waterholes and shady trees make it a popular location for fishing and swimming.
A four-month, on-the-ground survey was completed in the area last week, and KTB animal scientist Jordy Groffen said the results were not looking good.
"Although last week we saw the first cane toads in the study area, we now expect to find lots of dead animals as the frontline toads move through," he said.
According to Mr Groffen, front-line toads are almost always large, strong males and their poison can be fatal when ingested by wildlife.
Cane toads were introduced into Queensland in 1935 and have since spread to New South Wales, the Northern Territory and WA.
Female toads can lay up to 70,000 eggs a year, and their offspring quickly overwhelm native plants and animals.
Mr Groffen said the toads had reached the gorge by swimming or clinging to debris down a "corridor" created by the Nicholson River, which flows into the gorge.
Members of the KTB recently photographed four cane toads floating on such debris rafts in the Cambridge Gulf, fed by five major river systems around the Wyndham area.
