Brisbane City Council, in partnership with Ecosure and The University of Queensland (Institute of Molecular Bioscience), trap Cane Toad tadpoles in selected waterbodies around Brisbane City. The tadpole traps use a specially formulated bait that attracts Cane Toad tadpoles into the trap. Cane Toads can detect when other Cane Toad eggs have been deposited in the same waterbody and predate (eat) the eggs. The bait mimics the same chemical that coats the eggs and so attracts the tadpoles. As the bait only attracts Cane Toad tadpoles, native frog tadpoles are not attracted and so don’t get caught in the trap.
For more information please contact Prof. Rob Capon at r.capon@uq.edu.au.