CANE TOAD ALERT

There has been another two confirmed cane toads found in our region.

If you live in Lake Macquarie - especially close to Eleebana, Southern Warners Bay, Western Mt Hutton and Swansea please be alert and keep an eye out.

Cane toads are a serious invasive pest, which would have devastating impacts on biodiversity if allowed to establish in our region.

WHAT TO DO if you think you’ve spotted one:
• Always wear protective gloves and eyewear when handling potential cane toads. They extrude (and sometimes squirt) poison from glands positioned behind the head.
• The animal should be collected and held in a closed, well-ventilated, non-toxic container, with some water.
• DON’T HARM THE ANIMAL until we confirm what it is.
• Photograph the animal and report it to NSW DPI using our online reporting form www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/ sighting or emailing invasive.species@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Cane toads can be confused with some native frogs, which is why it's important you don't kill any suspected toads before reporting to the DPI.

Cane toads have:

• distinct bony ridges above the eyes, which run down the snout
• a large paratoid gland behind each eye
• unwebbed front hands but webbed toes on their hind feet
• dry warty skin
• cane toads can range in colour from grey, yellowish, red-brown, or olive-brown, with varying patterns

If you want to know more about how to identify a cane toad please follow this link.