W
e had some great feedback regarding Rick
Shine’s piece on Cane Toads in our March issue,
including this from the Apple Isle:
Hi John,
Just had to say what a great article in Issue 11 on cane toads by Rick Shine.
It has always greatly concerned me that so many people can almost joyously
inflict pain and suffering on an organism as long as they perceive there is a
social licence to do so through universal disgust based on ignorance. Many
people are so poorly educated in this country in the biological/ecological
sciences that they are incapable of making rational decisions or effectively
questioning perceived wisdom around issues of introduced organisms. Rick’s
article, based on research, is precisely the sort of message that needs to
become mainstream in this country. The impacts of introduced organisms are
always multi-faceted, complex ecological issues that require research and
understanding before action. Knee jerk and ultimately pointless toad roundups
and other inherently cruel practices need to be actively confronted and
stopped. It is particularly worrying when children are encouraged to become
involved in such activities. Hopefully articles such as this will begin to turn
the tide of public opinion. Toads are here to stay. They are embedded in the
ecosystem in many areas and we just need to let the reality of Mr Darwin's
wonderful idea to play out and let selection shape our incredibly resilient
fauna. Great work.
Cheers,
Simon Fearn.
Launceston.