The dry expanse of Western Australia's north has created a unique opportunity to stop the relentless march of invasive cane toads across the nation.
A "toad-break" zone devoid of the water they need to survive will stop them from infiltrating WA's Pilbara region and protect its 27 million hectares of sensitive habitat, Indigenous cultural heritage and native wildlife.
The WA government has announced funding for the first phase of the Toad Containment Zone, a collaborative project involving traditional owners, rangers, pastoralists and scientists.
The zone, on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert, is intended to stop the spread of cane toads south from the Kimberley and prevent the ecological damage they have caused in other regions.
Professor Ben Phillips from Curtin University's School of Molecular and Life Sciences, says the plan was developed after more than a decade of scientific research, and was a key recommendation from a 2019 Senate inquiry.
"By removing access to water at 150 man-made water points in a narrow coastal strip – or 'toad-break' – between the Kimberley and the Pilbara, the project aims to create an effective barrier against the toad invasion," he said on Wednesday.
"Toads invade by steadily moving across the landscape in the wet season, but they need water points to survive the long, hot dry season.
Without access to water, toads in the containment zone will perish, effectively stopping their advance.
With cane toads less than 150km from Broome and projected to reach the containment zone by the 2027/2028 wet season, the urgency to implement the plan is critical, he said.
The zone, to be established by Nyangumarta and Karajarri ranger groups and Rangelands NRM, will serve as vital biodiversity protection infrastructure.
Rangelands Manager Chris Curnow said the initiative was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prevent an ecological catastrophe.
"Ever since the idea of the toad break arose nearly 10 years ago, the Nyangumarta and Karajarri traditional custodians have been on board guiding and informing the way ahead," Mr Curnow said.
"Their knowledge of the area has helped pinpoint the various water sources and has guided scientists as to where the zone will have its best chance of success."
Cane toads were introduced to Australia in 1935 and arrived in north-eastern WA in 2009, progressing westwards through the Kimberley.
There is no proven way of eradicating the notorious pest and reducing their numbers is extremely difficult.
