Page "Cane toad" Paragraph 38

The cane toad was successfully introduced into New Guinea to control the hawk moth larvae eating sweet potato crops.

The first release occurred in 1937 using toads imported from Hawaii, with a second release the same year using specimens from the Australian mainland.

Evidence suggests a third release in 1938, consisting of toads being used for human pregnancy tests — many species of toad were found to be effective for this task, and were employed for about 20 years after the discovery was announced in 1948.

Initial reports argued the toads were effective in reducing the levels of cutworms and sweet potato yields were thought to be improving.

As a result, these first releases were followed by further distributions across much of the region, although their effectiveness on other crops, such as cabbages, has been questioned ; when the toads were released at Wau, the cabbages provided insufficient shelter and the toads rapidly left the immediate area for the superior shelter offered by the forest.

A similar situation had previously arisen in the Australian cane fields, but this experience was either unknown or ignored in New Guinea.

The cane toad has since become abundant in rural and urban areas.