DAILY TELEGRAPH (Sydney, Australia) 04 October 06 Toad invaders find their sea legs (Emma Gumbleton)
Cane toads are crossing the seas to find new homes.
One of the large pests, measuring 8 to 10 centimetres across the body, has been found on remote Elcho Island, off the northern Arnhem Land coast.
Council workers found it in a swamp just outside the community of Galiwin'ku and took it to the local council offices for identification last Friday morning.
There have also been sightings of cane toads near Gawa, an outstation on the east of Elcho Island.
Chief executive Peter Alleman said they have most likely come to the island by barge.
"The most likely source is from Darwin, from contractors trucks carrying them on to the barge,'' he said.
"The barge does stop at other mainland ports, at Milingimbi and Lake Evella. So it could have come from there too. But we're only a kilometre and a half from the mainland, so it could have swum.''
Mr Alleman said he fears the discovery could be the first sign of infestation on the island.
Frogwatch NT co-ordinator Graeme Sawyer said he had received two cane toad sightings from Elcho Island.
He said it is possible the toads swam across the narrow channel from established mainland colonies.
"They can swim across the sea if they have to,'' he said.
"They don't like salt water for long periods, but they can swim. They have in the past, we believe, swum to the Vanderlin group of islands near Borroloola.
"All those really close in islands are at risk of this.
"But I think you should be able to wipe toads out pretty easily because there's limited water options there. They want to get on to it before it becomes a nightmare - before they lose all their goannas.''
Toad invaders find their sea legs