Invasive Species Story: Cane Toads in Australia! By Mr.

Mitchell Bergstresser• Background: Cane toads were introduced to

Australia to combat the Cane Beetle!• This beetle was destroying the Sugar Cane crop

in Australia in the early 1930’s, which made farmers very angry.

• But the Cane Toad didn’t eat the sugar-cane… it ate everything else, and it’s population skyrocketed!

• Today the Cane Toad population is in the 100’s of millions!

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Australia… 1935…..“I sure do love farming sugar-cane!”

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Oh snap! Sugar-cane beetles! They’ll kill my precious crops!!

• My precious crops! I’m ruined! We need to bring in some Cane Toads from Venezuela to kill these pesky beetles!

“Ahh! Where are you taking me?? “

“I’m sad! =( I don’t want to leave my home!”

“Wait a minute… this place is awesome! There’s so much to eat! Let’s go look around…..”

I have no competition, and nothing can eat me because I’m

so very poisonous!

• Forget these gross beetles! I’m gonna eat EVERYTHING!!

• I’ll eat all the crickets, fish, and food

that I find!

• That means no food left for you other frogs!

• And if you’re smaller than me, I’ll eat you too!

Extinct!! Extinct! Extinct!

Yum Yum!!

• Since I’m r-selected, and my babies are poisonous too, I’m going to reproduce like crazy and take this country over!

• Thank you, stupid farmers, for bringing me to this lovely land.

The End!