Queensland border security catches biosecurity hazard toad inside passenger’s shoe

AN inbound passenger at a Queensland airport has almost caused an environmental catastrophe bigger than that of the cane toad. But how did they not know the offending creature was there?

This black-spined toad was found in a traveller's shoe at the Cairns Airport.

AN inbound passenger at Cairns airport travelled all the way from Indonesia with a toad inside their shoe and did not realise until an airport detector dog sniffed out the stowaway at a customs checkpoint.

Department of Agriculture head of biosecurity Lyn O’Connell said the toad had likely been alive when the passenger put on the shoe to return from Indonesia.

“While the passenger was being screened by a biosecurity officer, one of the shoes elicited a reaction from a detector dog,” Ms O’Connell said.

Ms O’Connell said it was not uncommon for biosecurity officers to find toads and frogs hitch-hiking inside articles of clothing however the case at Cairns was highly unusual because the passenger was actually wearing the shoe with the toad inside.

This black-spined toad was found in a traveller's shoe at the Cairns Airport.

The cramped stowaway from Indonesia was a black-spined toad, which Ms O’Connell said had no predators in Australian and was potentially more damaging to the country than the cane toad if it became established in the cooler parts of the country.

She said it was related to the cane toad and would compete with native frogs and toads for food and habitats and was likely to carry exotic parasites or disease.

She reminded all travellers to be biosecurity-aware and to check their luggage when packing for Australia.

“Australia’s biosecurity system safeguards our nation from deadly pests and diseases present in other countries,” Ms O’Connell said.

“We are very lucky here to be free from many pests and diseases but with increased overseas travel comes an increased risk of new pests and diseases entering Australia.

“We are constantly working to strengthen the way we manage biosecurity risks.”

She said other recent toad stowaways detected at the border included a live banded bullfrog found in a passenger’s shoe at Perth Airport and another black-spined toad was discovered at Melbourne Airport, both making the trip over from Thailand.