First viewed : 1 January 1990
We move into the nineties now with a wildlife documentary about Australia's cane toads. The film was made in Australia where it was a very popular theatrical feature reflecting the country's ambivalence towards the animal.
The species is only native to the Carribbean but they were introduced in Northern Australia in 1935 ( as featured in Fields of Fire ) to control the cane grub which was devastating sugar crops. They were not particularly successful at that but they did breed very successfully and have had a significant effect on the ecosystems of Northern Australia. They also proved very effective in controlling the stray dog population as their skin contains toxins which will kill a dog that tries to eat it. They are not generally dangerous to humans and have been used for a free trip as the poison is hallucinogenic in moderate quantities.
The documentary was fairly humorous in tone while not avoiding the problems posed by the animals.
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