The Asian amphibians arrived just
10 years ago. Now in their millions, they threaten the island’s unique wildlife
Sat 24 Feb
2018 21.07 GMT First published on Sat 24 Feb 2018 20.45 GMT
Rustling branches and a canopy
cacophony – part howl, part screech, part snigger – proclaim the presence of
black-and-white ruffed lemurs as visitors enter Ivoloina zoological park in
eastern Madagascar.
The raucous primate is one of
several critically endangered species in this biological refuge, which breeds
and protects rare wildlife from the growing pressures on this island’s unique
ecology.
But having kept the poachers,
loggers and developers at bay, the park’s operators now fear the advance of a
very different threat: Duttaphrynus melanostictus, widely known as the
Asian common toad.
Nobody knows precisely how this
toxic amphibian arrived in Madagascar. The most credible theory is that a small
number were accidentally shipped inside a container from Vietnam that was
unloaded at Toamasina port and opened at the giant Ambatovy nickel and cobalt
processing plant. But what is certain is how quickly they have overrun the
local habitat.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
You only need to enter your comment once! Comments will appear once they have been moderated. This is so as to stop the would-be comedian who has been spamming the comments here with inane and often offensive remarks. You know who you are!