The planned five-year initiative targets a 7,500-square-kilometre corridor stretching from the Great Sandy Desert to the Indian Ocean. Because the invasive amphibians must rehydrate regularly during dry periods, researchers and local groups will restrict their access to cattle dams and irrigation points. Working alongside Indigenous rangers from areas like the Nyangumarta Warrarn Indigenous Protected Area, the project intends to permanently block the pests from advancing into pristine habitats. Curtin University researchers caution that without intervention, the toads could invade the Pilbara ecosystem within twenty years.
Key points
Restricting access to artificial water infrastructure prevents invasive toads from surviv…: Restricting access to artificial water infrastructure prevents invasive toads from surviving their migration across dry landscapes.
The project protects vulnerable native predators such as the ghost bat, goanna lizard, an…: The project protects vulnerable native predators such as the ghost bat, goanna lizard, and northern quoll from fatal poisoning.
The initiative aids Rio Tinto in rebuilding relationships with Indigenous communities fol…: The initiative aids Rio Tinto in rebuilding relationships with Indigenous communities following the destruction of ancient rock shelters.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Published
Rio Tinto is ploughing millions of dollars into stopping the poisonous cane toad reaching the Pilbara region of western Australia, where the mining giant has a vast iron ore operation
The firm, alongside Curtin University in Perth and others, will spend A$28m (£14.5m) building a "toad containment zone" to prevent the pest travelling south.
While the cane toad is not a direct threat to Rio Tinto's business, it produces toxins lethal to native wildlife and poses a threat to Pilbara's ecosystem.
Rio Tinto has previously faced criticism for destroying two sacred Aboriginal rock shelters in Pilbara which sat above tonnes of iron ore.
The decision cost the former chief executive his job, provoked a widespread backlash and saw Rio Tinto commit to rebuilding trust with Indigenous communities.
Commenting on the proposed containment zone, Roberta Hunter, a ranger in Australia's Nyangumarta Warrarn Indigenous Protected Area, said: "Cane toads destroy the water and animals.
"When toads come close to our country, we want to be there to stop them because we don't want the country to be destroyed."
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