Rio Tinto joins fight to stop killer toad march across Australia

Key Points:

• Rio Tinto, in collaboration with Curtin University and others, is investing A$28 million to create a "toad containment zone" aimed at preventing the spread of poisonous cane toads into Western Australia's Pilbara region.
• The project plans to build a barrier over 7,500 sq km to cut off the toads' access to water sources, crucial for their survival during dry periods, with the initiative set to start in 2027 and last five years.
• Cane toads pose a significant threat to Pilbara's native wildlife, including species like the northern quoll, goanna lizard, and ghost bat, due to their lethal toxins and lack of natural predators in Australia.
• The cane toads, introduced in 1935 to control agricultural pests, have been steadily advancing westward at 40-60 km per year and could reach Pilbara within two decades without intervention.
• Indigenous communities, represented by rangers such as Roberta Hunter, support the containment efforts to protect their land and ecosystems from the destructive impact of cane toads.