Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Lately Taiwan stirred by the threat of invasion China amid tensions between the two countries. However, the poisonous frogs are now invading Taiwan, and making the government and environmentalists in the country desperate to stop the spread of the frogs.
The name cane toad is a poisonous amphibian species that should not be found in Chaotun, Taiwan. The species is native to Central and South America. Previously, this species had never been recorded in Taiwan.
“Fast and large-scale searches were important when sugarcane toads were first discovered,” said Lin Chun-fu, an amphibian researcher at the government’s Institute for Endemic Species Research.
Lin also explained the reason why the researchers then immediately hunted and got rid of this poisonous frog.
“They are very large and they have no natural enemies here in Taiwan,” Lin said.
Cane Toad Findings in the Garden
The discovery of the cane toad began when a local resident found several large amphibians in his community vegetable garden a few weeks ago. The resident then published this picture of the frog online. This action triggers the hunt for the frogs.
After this photo was spread, several volunteers from the Amphibian Conservation Society were sent to the residents’ area to conduct an investigation. Arriving at the garden, the volunteer group found 27 species of this poisonous cane toad.
“I was surprised and worried when they found more than 20 (cane toads). This is not an easy thing to deal with,” said Yang Yi-ju, an expert at National Dong Hwa University.
Local farmers told environmentalists that they had seen the cane toad but had never reported it.
“In general, farmers in Taiwan ignore toads and even regard toads as a good thing because (toads) can help protect crops from pests and are symbols of good luck. It never occurred to them that these (cane toads) were an invasive species from a foreign country, ‘ Yang explained.
Reasons why poisonous frogs threaten ecosystems in Taiwan, read on next page…
The Reason Cane Toad Is a Threat to Taiwan’s Ecosystem
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