It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:20 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:27 am 
Online
ADMIN
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:30 pm
Posts: 56973
Location: Pomeroy's Wine Bar
Industrial city gives birth to mutant toads as Queensland researchers look for cause
Marissa Calligeros
brisbanetimes.com.au reporter
February 12, 2013

Image
A concerning rate of "mutant toads" with extra limbs and
missing eyes are being found in an industrial Australian city.

MUTANT cane toads are being found in the industrial Queensland city of Gladstone, some with a third leg growing from their chest, while others have been found with eight fingers instead of four.

Up to 20 per cent of cane toads in certain areas of the port city had malformations, compared to 1 per cent of toad populations in non-urban areas.

Gladstone is home to a coal-fired power station, two aluminium refineries and a developing liquefied natural gas industry.

Scott Wilson, of Central Queensland University, said between 6 per cent and 8 per cent of 10,000 cane toads examined throughout the Gladstone region in the past three years had been found with abnormalities. A council-run team, Gladstone Toadbusters, has caught the toads for environmental research.

High exposure to UV radiation and parasites, as well as chemical run-off and airborne pollution can contribute to amphibian abnormalities.

Dr Wilson said the city's heavy industry was not necessarily to blame for malformations in the toads, but water quality and health of fish in Gladstone Harbour had been the focus of environmental concern.

Temporary fishing bans were imposed after sick fish with skin lesions and cloudy eyes were found.

In 2011, 231 turtles and six dolphins were found dead in Gladstone.

Fishermen have blamed the water in the harbour for causing the problems, suggesting large-scale dredging projects had stirred up contaminants.

''There are a multitude of potential causes,'' Dr Wilson said. ''What might be happening at one site could be different to what's happening at another.''

''In fact, I did some preliminary work in Sydney with native frogs and found abnormalities in around 6 to 8 per cent of the population there.''

The mutations in Gladstone's cane toads could spell problems for native frogs in the region, too.

''Cane toads are to the fresh water environment, what canaries were to coal mines,'' Dr Wilson said. '' We've seen malformations constantly over the past three years, and we need to find out why.''

....more at link
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nationa ... 2e8zj.html

_________________
Image Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:28 am 
Online
ADMIN
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:30 pm
Posts: 56973
Location: Pomeroy's Wine Bar
Mutant cane toads found in Gladstone


_________________
Image Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:43 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:44 pm
Posts: 151
Location: In the Back Seat Holding the Map
I hear they make a real nice POPPING sound if you hit 'em just right with your car...

_________________
The voices in my head took a vote... They aren't speaking to me this week.....


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:17 am 
Online
ADMIN
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:30 pm
Posts: 56973
Location: Pomeroy's Wine Bar
I understand they are a bit of a road hazard in Queensland.

Certainly prolific and a source of jokes about Australians :24

Why did the cane toad cross the road ??

Spoiler:
To show how much guts he had

_________________
Image Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:18 am 
Online
ADMIN
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:30 pm
Posts: 56973
Location: Pomeroy's Wine Bar
Australian Cane Toad. FUNNY!


_________________
Image Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:22 am 
Online
ADMIN
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:30 pm
Posts: 56973
Location: Pomeroy's Wine Bar
I posted this in Video thread some time ago

Toad Road Warriors


_________________
Image Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:23 am 
Offline
Global Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:15 pm
Posts: 177
This a SERIOUS thread... about SERIOUS FUCKING pollution and stuff!!

Don't make me have to MODERATE you people... A "Ginger Snap" is worse that a "Baker Act"

_________________
Meow!!!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:27 am 
Online
ADMIN
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:30 pm
Posts: 56973
Location: Pomeroy's Wine Bar
Ooops! Mea Culpa, sorry Ginger... it wont happen again


Spoiler:
He hasn't been the same since I sent him over to JQ to spy as "Rumpole's Mole"

He's picked up a lot of bad habits from The Site Madam, Bakerprune64 :31

_________________
Image Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:36 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:27 pm
Posts: 6256
Location: Beautiful South Florida
So Ginger was the mole! :94

I never suspected him. :6

_________________
Image
Image


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 76 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group