An Australian Engineering Solution for an Ecological Problem

Twat?

(hehe)

Ooops! Colour me embarrassed! Fat finger syndrome!

I assume June is winter down there, so cold is -15°C and below. At least in my perception.

This is also the real trouble with the nasty buggers: they can breed the whole year round. Here they go in winter sleep for 4 -5 months and half of them gets eaten by others that feel hungry in this period. Snakes and crocks just don't survive here.

We only had two or three day's of frost this year and we started spring with mosquitos. Normally they arrive mid July.

For Darwin the mean maximum temperature for June is 33°C while the overnight minimum is 24° C.

Having a maximum of 23° C is not only below the normal maximum temperature but is also below the minimum temperature you would normally see just after dawn and that makes it totally unheard of.

The entire continent is currently being swept with weather patterns that nobody has ever seen before. It may actually be the end of the worst drought that we have ever known but since nobody has ever seen this sort of weather before nobody can really be sure.

Before the current rains Sydney was headed to running out of water in about 12 months but for the first time in years the reservoirs are showing an increase in the storage levels. It's still early days and we all have our fingers crossed but it looks like we got our to this drought by the skin of our teeth. The Darling river has started to fill up at is sources, but, it is still completely dry further down stream, however, there is a chance that the there will be water for this years crops. Up until a couple of weeks ago the government had cancelled all irrigation water allowances and most farmers were not going to plant any crop this year. The orchids are still a problem as they all needed to be pruned back to just stumps so they would survive without irrigation water. It is going to take at least 2 years for trees to grow enough to be able to bear fruit so we aren't completely our of trouble yet.

Maybe this has something to do with the ecological problems we've been talking about. With such horrendous conditions perhaps that's why the bufos, salties, box jellies, and all the other "world's meanest and most venomous" creatures are the only ones that would have any part in migrating to OZ.

The soft, furry creatures like say, Mr. D.T. Cat, and other warm and cuddle some friendlies (not to leave out nutkin and vermin) won't migrate anywhere near it. I guess the Koala bear is an exception though.

Where is nutkin anyway? I think Igor might have stole him.

-John

Sorry Johnjohn, No Bears in Australia just Koalas.

We do have a creature is called a "Drop Bear". No one is really sure what it actually is. It's kind of like a cross between a Koala and a Tasmanian Devil. Scientists have been looking for one for years. I saw one when i was about 18. They are frequently seen around campsites where there is alcoholic beverages and cute impressionable girls or American tourists. They sit up in trees and when it gets dark they drop out of the tree and scare the **** out of you. Know one knows what they eat. Backpackers?

O yeah. Whats this about "all the other "world's meanest and most venomous" creatures are the only ones that would have any part in migrating to OZ."

Is that an insult? If so Thank-you, we except nearly anyone or thing. I suppose that brings us back to the bloody Cane Toad.

I would not feel all cuddly about the Koala if I were you. Have you seen their claws? I've seen them up to 5-6cm long.

The Drop Bear is no laughing matter. It's little wonder the average Sheila is so damn timid when out at night. People need proper warning.

Hi geomech,

I read the link that Kris provided concerning the Drop Bear. I sure wouldn't want to encounter such a beast myself. However, if I were at a campsite with a cute impressiona... I just might be able to beat my chest and scare the vicious creature away before he could wreck havoc on heaven and hell.

No insult intended mate. Just referring to those species that evolved with < > 2 legs. Besides, I love you guys. You do see the sunrise first (as has been pointed out by others) and may(?) be somewhat ahead of the rest of us. That's debatable though.

Slip of the tongue on the Koala. Around here (southern U.S.) they're still referred to my many as Koala Bears. Perhaps it's a carry over from the fact that "Early European settlers to Australia called the Koala the Native Bear, and the Koala is still sometimes called the Koala Bear, but it is not a member of the bear family" [and] "Contrary to popular belief, their fur is thick, not soft and cuddly." Furthermore, "The Koala has an unusually small brain."

Now back to the discussion at hand,

"The existence of several species of the Terrestrial Australian Dropbear are well
known. However, some reports circulate of a recently evolved genus, the "Aquatic
Dropbear". Australia loses a large number of citizens and visitors in our waters,
which are well populated with crocodiles, blue-ringed octopi, deadly stonefish,
sea snakes, box jellyfish and of course, many species of shark. Not to mention
dangerous surf conditions, rip-tides and poorly managed dive trips." [and Cane Toads (and Koalas)]

I rest my case.

Cheers

Johnjohn, & Kris,

A bit too much hearsay in that site. Too much like a someone doesn't know what their talking about. A lot of mis-information. What are his qualifications? I'm a bit sus about that photo. Looks computer generated koala with big teeth, and looked nothing like the one i saw. The one i saw was about half the size and jet black. It also had more of a canine jaw, like a Tassie Devil. Drop Bears are strictly nocturnal and wouldn't be caught in the open in daylight hours. They appear to be very intelligent and extremely fast. That is why no one, to my knowledge has managed to get a photo. Anyway I doubt that anyone would have a chance to have enough time to take a photo before running off screaming.

If I get enough time today I'll try and put a rough sketch together. I only got a quick glimpse of the animal as I was trying to protect the girl. She was very appreciative of my heroism.

He He

The Bundy bear does a good drop bear impersonation.

I used to do quite a good turn you know ;

Olde London Towne C1880.

Should of won a Cannes TV Commercial Award. Laughed that hard i nearly wet myself.

"The Koala has an unusually small brain."

And I always thought that they were just stoned due to all the toxic Eucalyptus leaves they eat.

Interesting as well how the drop bear's can disguise themselves as large tree branches, just like the ones that fall of the eucalyptus trees regularly.....thats why I love the Ozzy's, never let the truth get in the way of a good story.....

Around 1994 or 1995 I remember it got down to 13 Deg during the night. Jumper weather but I had not owned a jacket for 3 years. Reminds me of when I had to go to Melbourne for a sick relative. I got off the plane dressed in just thongs, t-shirt and shorts at Melbourne airport. OMG.

Now I like that net concept. I would use square mesh and not diamond mesh and if i were talking about the difference between life and death from a 'Box bite' I'd be using Dyneema knotless netting which I am reasonably sure this is not.

I'd use a chain bottom line so it followed the contours of the sand wedges better.

I would also use an outer layer of larger and heavier mesh to catch any debris that might float into the net with the current (which you can see is already pushing the net very hard ), and pick up the net where the Boxes can get under it.

However this is a very well thought out "simple" plan.

........oh the reason you won't see MANY AMERICAN COMPANIES BIDDING ON THESE THINGS IS

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LIABILITY !

There is always the 'run for it' option.

Won't work Kris. Left rear tyre is flat.

Do you think they REALLY eat those things?

I hadn't noticed the tyre. Going around in circles may be of help if toad attack is imminent. It could buy time untill the other tyre flattens.

Maybe the Toads are partially consumed. An import of Hippy types could be the solution (or should that be solvent ?). Detoxed Toads could then be served as some kind of neuvaux Chicken dish. Colonol Sanders may save us all yet. We could even pass it of as Toad-in-the-hole. Perhaps I will rename myself Kaptain Kris in readiness.

Ha, ha, ha! You're too much Kris. Threads would indeed be bare without you. Keep it up!

As your link points out:

"Dissolve 4.1g bufotenin in 20 ml 1M NaOH and evaporate to dryness under N2. Dry in vacuum at 90C and dissolve in 50 ml dimethoxyethane. Add to 1.9 g acetyl-Cl in 50 ml in 50 ml dimethoxyethane and stir four hours at room temperature. Add to dilute NaHCO3 and CHCl3; shake and dry, evaporate in vacuum the CHCl3 layer to get 5-Acetoxy-dimethyltryptamine. This should be active at maybe 15 mg smoked, possibly orally as well. I can't remember off hand.

Hope someone tries this one day.

Jeremy's quote on smoking bufotenin, 'I'd rather smoke paint stripper'."

Think about it. If you can get rid of the paint stripper attributes Captain Kris can have a "Bufobucks" on every corner!

Lets not leave the Colonel out however:

"Each gland can be squeezed a second time for an additional yield of venom if you allow the toad a one-hour rest period. After this the glands are empty and require four to to six weeks for regeneration."

The Colonel's secret recipe: put the Toads-in-the-hole and squeeze incessantly. Don't allow them to rest! When thoroughly mashed, prepare as per the usual secret recipe.

If Bufobucks takes off I'll cut you in on it. It's wierd , but when I start laughing double meanings like 'cut you in' spill out all over the place. Have no fear , the project would need good PR.

I think there must be a solution to these toads somewhere. Oz has loads of creatures with venomous capability. It's not proven why this is so. It's possible that it is in part a remnant defence against a long-gone predator. What if , by similar process , remnant immunity exists in other animals. It would not have been noticed because why would anybody investigate a biological substance that seems to do nothing. Madagascar is isolated in a similar fashion to Oz , but animals there are not equiped for aggressive defence (as far as I know) . Far fetched , but I wonder.... Crocs have there own anti-biotic and can survive fierce fights.....Maybe an anti-toxin for Bufo exists. If it's found , then maybe it can be used to cook the Toads Goose so to speak.

I like the quote line by the way.It's like a cartoon I saw : large van drawn up outside house. Person is answering door. Van man- "It's Greenpeace ma'm , where do you want the Whale ?".

Just this morning as I was on my way out the door, I caught a news item on CNN or Fox News, I couldn't make out where the place was but it was an airport. They had to close it down because of dozens or hundreds of rabbits running around the ground including the runway.

I guess they were auditioning for the role of the Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland .

Are we being read by the media?

Monday evening the cane toad was in the evening news. To show that our nasty immigrants are not that big of a problem.

That was ambiguous even by my standards. Let me sniff around.

hmm.

"Catch a cane toad. Turn it in alive for humane disposal. Get a pot of Coopers beer.

That's the offer from an Australian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Coopers Brewery and a northern Australia hotel." mmmm

".CANE TOAD, ANYONE?
July 7, 1999
Australian Associated Press
Catharine Munro
DARWIN -- The invincible cane toad may, according to this story, have met
its match - the Chinese food market. Along with a new industry in
jellyfish harvesting, it is one of the more bizarre food products from
the Northern Territory set to be exported to China later this year.
This story explained that John Ratcliffe, a Melbourne-based practitioner
of Chinese medicine, is preparing a massive hunt of cane toads around
Borroloola, south west of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The toads are to be
sent to Hang Zhou in southern China for meat processing.
The toad, introduced to Australia in 1938 from Hawaii, is already a
serious pest in Queensland and New South Wales because of the highly
poisonous venom produced by its skin.
However, Mr Ratcliffe was cited as saying that once the skin is removed
and washed, it can be eaten like frogs legs and is already a delicacy in
southern China." oooooh

ooh genetics. OMG - the toads are evolving longerlegs !

Toadjus anyone ?

The Germans have found explosives ??

Dogs in rehab !

Sorry Gwen , I got lost there. All I found was a nice Belgium sniffer dog , toads for the use of.

Fermentated toadjus?

How about Toad Methanol the ultimate green power.

It could work . I think Tony (as he was known here) has retired , so there could be an opening for 'Brad the Toad' or something like that.Instead if @put a tiger in your tank' they could have 'Put a beaut in your ute'. The associated Toad gags would be great for sales. With some ingenuity a whole new car could evolve by adaption.

For a while I was thinking that you were going to recicle the other Tony after retiring.

I think that a toad car would not sell that well, Toads are not exactly beloved animals;

Try using them as animal feeds, ie. for chicken and pigs.

Not a good idea as their toxic and anything that eats them, including smaller crocodiles, dies.

How about using them as fertiliser ? Can export it to India and China.

• How about using them as fertiliser ?

You're spot on. that's exactly what they are currently doing. The easiest and most humane way to kill them once they have been captured, is to freeze them and the frozen carcasses are then collected and turned into fertilizer.