Five Years of Invasive Species Removal Yields Success: Grass Creek Cane Toads Reduced from 35,000 to 30

(CNA, Reporter Wu Che-hao, Nantou, June 29) The Forestry Bureau's Nantou Forest District Office, in collaboration with academia and local communities, has been removing cane toads, classified as an invasive species. The Nantou Forest District Office stated that cane toads reproduce rapidly and are toxic, posing a threat to the survival of native animals. Over five years, the population of over 30,000 cane toads in the Grass Creek area has been reduced to approximately 30.

The Nantou Forest District Office of the Agriculture and Food Agency's Forestry and Nature Conservation Administration released a press release today, stating that some individuals kept cane toads as pets and abandoned them, leading to a rapid expansion of their numbers. Cane toads were also found in Nantou's Grass Creek area, reaching a peak of over 35,000 in 2023.

The Nantou Forest District Office pointed out that cane toads reproduce quickly; a pair can lay 8,000 to 35,000 eggs annually, easily establishing populations in the wild. After being abandoned by the public, their populations expanded rapidly in the wild. The office collaborated with the Taiwan Amphibian Conservation Association and the Yushi Community Development Association in Grass Creek Township to conduct surveys and removal efforts.

The Nantou Forest District Office stated that removal efforts began in 2021. The cane toad population in the Grass Creek area has continuously decreased from its peak of over 35,000. As of June this year, fewer than 30 remain, demonstrating the effectiveness of the removal efforts.

The Nantou Forest District Office urges the public not to capture cane toads themselves if found in the wild. Instead, they should take photos, record the time and location of discovery, and promptly report it on the Taiwan Amphibian Conservation Volunteers Facebook group or call 1999 to contact local government for assistance. (Editor: Chen Ren-hua) 1150629

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