Dr Karl to present at the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival

TV personality Dr Karl has revealed an unbelievable fact about an iconic bird in Far North Queensland ahead of his visit to the region.

AUTHOR, scientist and TV personality Dr Karl Kruszelnicki has revealed Queensland’s iconic ibises have developed a way to eat cane toads without getting poisoned.

Dr Karl will host two presentations at the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival (CTWF) in February.

“The ibises have learnt to flip cane toads on their back eat their abdomen out because toxin comes from primary glands on its back near its ears,” Dr Karl said.

Cane toads, no longer safe from the Australian Ibis.

He will speak on a range of issues including future career paths for high school students and climate change on Friday, February 24.
Dr Karl’s first presentation, aimed at high school students, will focus on careers in computing, artificial intelligence, basic science, genetics and climate change.
His second presentation, which will be open to all ages, will be on Friday night with Dr Karl promising to be light, witty and entertaining.
“I haven’t written it yet. I like to get the vibe of the local area and the audience but I might talk about why it’s safer to fall from 23 stories than seven stories.
“I’m always writing new material,” Dr Karl said.
The presentation will be his first at the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival.

“It’s the first time they’ve asked me to present and I’m very happy to do it. I love Cairns. “I’ve spent a lot of time in Far North Queensland as I used to test drive 4WDs around Cape York,” Dr Karl said.

The Cairns Tropical Writers Festival is a biennial event but has not been held since 2018 due to Covid restrictions in 2020 and 2022.
CTWF president Jules Steer is confident this year’s festival will be a resounding success.

Originally published as Dr Karl to present at the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival