Toads evolving response to human predation

Kimberley Toadbusters continued to see changing responses of the toad to continued human predation. This has become particularly visible in the township of Kununurra where the community on the whole have taken the mitigation of this invasive animal to heart.
“For months now volunteers have been reporting toads running away from the light the moment a high powered torch beam hits them. This is a far cry from toadbusting only a year back where the toad would sit placidly there whilst you plucked him off the ground.” John Cugley, Administrative coordinator KTB.
“This certainly seems to be a response from the toad, it has become aware that two legs and a torch spells trouble. It is interesting to note that the further you go back behind the lines to toad bust, these are areas that have yet to have human endeavours at control, the less you see this aversion to our high powered torches.”Ben Scott-Virtue, Field Coordinator KTB.

“One only has to look at the years we spent slowing down the toads advance through Newry Station to see that generations of toads may now have had some sort of contact with humans. Whilst one can only imagine the impact, it would be fairly safe to assume that it wouldn’t be positive from a toad’s perspective.” Tim Leary, Team Leader and volunteer for KTB