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Queensland family forms toad busting squad

An Ipswich couple is rallying volunteers in their community to help stop cane toads destroying native wildlife.

The Mannings, from Springfield Lakes, go out one night a month hunting the creatures with the Springfield Lakes Toad Busters and catching as many as 200 toads in less than an hour.

Armed with buckets with lids of course and surgical gloves the number they catch in a short period of time is incredible. They then kill them humanely.

"We put them in an esky, which has some dry ice in it,” David Manning said.

The Manning couple from Springfield Lakes are trying to stop toads from breeding in their suburb. Source: 7 News
The Manning couple from Springfield Lakes are trying to stop toads from breeding in their suburb. Source: 7 News

“And that turns the esky into a cold fridge and gradually they go to sleep.”

Mr Manning then takes out the toads' glands that create their toxin and takes them to the University of Queensland where researchers are using it to create baits to catch cane toad tadpoles.

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David Manning has been giving the toads' glands to UQ for research. Source: 7 News
David Manning has been giving the toads' glands to UQ for research. Source: 7 News

The family worries the food resources for native animals will disappear if the toad population continues to increase.

Luise Manning said if the toads stick around, “they will also eat our native reptiles and native frogs”.

All the toads are killed humanely. Source: 7 News
All the toads are killed humanely. Source: 7 News