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Eat them alive, or at least get predatory ants to do it for us – that's the latest proposal for dealing with the invasion of tropical Australia by toxic cane toads. > Cane toad (Bufo marinus) young are more susceptible to being eaten by Australian meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus) than the young of native frogs, raising the possibility that meat ants might make a safe biocontrol agent, according to a team led by Rick Shine of the University of Sydney. >

SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian state government called for the army to be deployed against an invasion of toxic toads. Battalions of imported cane toads are marching relentlessly across northern Australia and the West Australian government wants soldiers to intercept the environmental barbarians. State Environment Minister Mark McGowan has written to Defence Minister Brendan Nelson asking permission to use soldiers based in the neighbouring Northern Territory to kill the toads. "The army in the Northern Territory is greater than any other part of Australia," McGowan told national radio. "We'd seek the Commonwealth (federal government) to help us in fighting this...

SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian lawmaker outraged animal rights activists by suggesting an invasion of poisonous cane toads be fought by bashing the beasts with cricket bats and golf clubs. David Tollner, a member of parliament from Prime Minister John Howard's Liberal Party, said he grew up using the brute force method against the toads, a dangerous and despised pest that is spreading across northern Australia. "We hit them with cricket bats and golf clubs and the like," Tollner said on ABC radio. "I think if people could be encouraged rather than discouraged (to attack them) the better the chance...