Cane toad found at Ermington

They’re more than 2000km from their natural habitat in North Queensland but cane toads are preferring to call Parramatta home.

The cane toad found at Ermington.

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They’re more than 2000km from their natural habitat in North Queensland but cane toads are preferring to call Parramatta home.

Parramatta Council contractor Stephen Wharton discovered the amphibian at Stevens Street Reserve, Ermington, this morning when he was carrying out bush regeneration work.

“He’s a big boy,’’ he said.

“I’ve been to Queensland before, as far as Cairns, where they used to do cane toad races, but this was a very mature one, going on about five inches to 80, 100mm wide.”

Mr Wharton believed the toad could have got a lift from Queensland.

“I’m not surprised to see the odd one down here because it’s not far from main roads and I’m sure some of the drivers from Queensland brought it back.

“He didn’t look emaciated or anything so it looks like he’s had something to eat, like snails from the park.’’

This morning, Mr Wharton contacted the council, which sent staff dressed in protective wear including gloves, long-sleeved shirts and glasses to collect the toad before it was taken to a vet to be euthanised.

The public should not touch cane toads.

The council warned the public not to touch cane toads, which could often be mistaken for some native frog species, because they secrete a poison than can be dangerous to pets and humans.

Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service spokesman John Grant was worried the cane toads could kill native animals through food poisoning after they trapped them for meals.

He suspected holiday-makers brought cane toads home from Queensland.

“I kind of think to myself if there’s one or two there’s more,’’ he said.

“Whenever you get something a bit exotic, people wonder if someone’s keeping it as a pet.

“I guess it’s possible at this time of the year, it might have jumped into the back of someone’s trailer but this is one of the ways pets have been introduced.’’

A Parramatta Council spokeswoman said it was the second time a cane toad had been spotted in the area in the past six weeks after Newcastle University researchers found a male one at Rosehill, where they were working for a private company.

“Researchers were conducting surveys on green and gold bell frogs when they detected the cane toad,’’ the spokeswoman said.

The toad was euthanised on March 21 and surveillance was conducted on March 28 to determine whether there were any other cane toads locally but none were detected.

“No residents have called council reporting sightings of cane toads in the area,’’ she said.

If a suspected cane toad is spotted, residents and visitors are advised to call Parramatta Council on 9806 5050 or the NSW Primary Industries Department on 1800 680 244.