WILDLIFE EXTRA (Hereford, UK) 16 September 08 Will pygmy crocodiles be first Australian species extinction from cane toads?
Macquarie University Researcher, Lyall Grieve has been working with the KTBs for over two years, to ascertain cane toad impacts on reptile diversity, and to gain an insight into the fauna of the Kimberley Region. Lyall's research has concentrated on cane toad impacts on small reptile species.
"With the extensive help and unique knowledge of Kimberley Toad Busters and Kimberley Specialists, I have been able to find pristine habitats, and compare them with similar habitats in the Northern Territory with established populations of Cane Toads," says Lyall in recognising the contribution of the KTBs to his research.
"Extremely high mortality rates of larger predatory reptiles including water monitors, turtles, crocodiles and many snakes have been recorded confirming long accepted research. Sadly, we know little about what has actually become extinct from cane toads because of the lack of research into this in Queensland and the Northern Territory. So there is no research that has yet proven a complete eradication of an Australian species from the cane toad; however even the reduction of genetic variation from an enforced population bottleneck from high mortality rates is detrimental for any species, especially those already under pressure and in decline due to other factors," adds Lyall in rebuttal of some assertions that cane toads are not a long term problem, if they do not eradicate species. "In the Kimberley we have burning, land clearing and river damming that have preceded the cane toad, putting many of our Kimberley species under threat before the cane toad arrives", says Lee Scott-Virtue.
Lyall's findings auger very badly for the pygmy crocodile, recently found in Lyall's sampling areas. KTBs hope that Lyall can undertake research into the pygmy crocodile before this population (which might be the only population left) is killed off by cane toads. Lyall and the KTBs are hopeful that investigation into aspects of the behavioural ecology, habitat choice and diet of the Pygmy Crocodile will commence as a matter of urgency and lead to urgent government action to assist us in saving the pygmy crocodile from extinction by cane toads.
"The KTBs hope to build on the good work being done by Dr Adam Britton into trying to establish the origins of the pygmy crocodile, and whether or not it is a different or adapted species from the widespread known Johnstoni freshwater crocodile," says Sandy Boulter Vice President of the Kimberley Toad Busters and Coordinator of the Perth based KTB friends group. "Of course even this widespread species is threatened by the cane toad", she added.
"I cannot think of a more significant find if we are looking at a completely different species and to think that we might lose this unique animal to the cane toad before Australians have got to know it or even given it a 'name' is unthinkable. Not to at least attempt to find some way to save it from the cane toad by our state, territory and federal authorities is paramount to a criminal act," Dean Goodgame, KTB Board member in contemplating the likely fate of the pygmy crocodile.
Lyall says the threat to the pygmy crocodile should be seen as a biodiversity crisis. "Performing this research into what may be a unique crocodile species is of utmost urgency. During the recent sampling trip in collaboration with the Kimberley Toad Busters (1st - 7th September), we discovered male and female cane toads only 12 kilometres from the Pygmy Crocodile population," says Lyall.
The KTBs have been calling for urgent action from the NT and WA governments to protect the pygmy crocodiles from cane toads since 3 February 2008: "Aboriginal people have always known about this little crocodile. It saddens me to think that we are going to lose something else that is so precious to Aboriginal people. Government introduced the cane toad so why aren't they doing more to help us with what we are doing here in the Kimberley," says Juju Wilson, Mirrawong elder and KTB Board Member.
"KTBs have had no response from government or even any interest it seems in the impending decimation, perhaps extinction, of this rarest of animals, the pygmy crocodile. Even funding for well researched cane toad proof pens for some breeding pairs and more funding for Lyall's research would be an interim start," said President of the Kimberley Toad Busters, Lee Scott-Virtue. "It has to be remembered that it is estimated that up to 70% of the freshwater crocodiles in the Victoria River have been killed by cane toads and they are a lot bigger than these dear little - and oh so precious - pygmy crocodiles", she added.
As over 2,000 Kununurra based registered Kimberley Toad Buster award acknowledged volunteer toad predators are about to enter their FOURTH YEAR of WEEKLY hunting and gathering cane toads over 200,000 sq kms as a way of life, they are working hard to save species from extinction by the cane toad invasion. Cane toads poison just about all fauna that eat it, pollute ecosystems and use up food resources. The KTBs have caught, weighed, measured, killed and recorded over 300,017 adult cane toads; and countless millions of tadpoles and metamorphs (thereby taking over 150,000 kgs of cane toad biomass out of our already threatened precious NT eco-systems) with the help of private donations, Lotterywest and the federal (and more recently the WA State) government. As at August 2008, the KTB toadbusting comprises an estimated 480,000 volunteer field hours (not counting the volunteer administration hours). At $20 an hour, this equates to $9,600,000 volunteer field work value.
Will pygmy crocodiles be first Australian species extinction from cane toads?