By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS in Venetian West say they are fearful for the safety of their children and pets after an invasive and toxic toad species was recently discovered in the western community.

This comes after Ministry of Environment officials confirmed the discovery of the cane toad in the newly developed gated condominium complex. The toad can release toxins that are harmful to humans and can kill small animals.

Earlier yesterday, The Tribune canvassed the area and spotted several toads hopping in the community’s pond. A child was also seen holding one of the frogs.

Lloyd Wong, a resident in the area, told The Tribune yesterday that while members of the community are fearful about the dangers the toad poses, many are taking the necessary precautions to ensure that their pets and loved ones do not come into harm’s way.

He said: “The condominium association put out a statement saying stay away from the pond area and keep your pets in.

“…People don’t want to leave their pets out because if there is a cane toad and if the dog eats it or their cats eat it or lick it then they can die from it and if there’s children and it somehow gets in their mouths or they can also get sick and possibly die.

“That is one of the major concerns and the cane toads grow up to one foot you know and it’s not from The Bahamas. I think it’s from South America and then some people took it to Australia, but how it got here I don’t know.”

Another resident expressed similar comments to The Tribune, saying she has been keeping her small dog indoors out of fear of it eating the potentially deadly toad.

Mr Wong added that residents are also fearful of a possible spread in the community.

“I haven’t really seen the frogs because it came up with the COVID and I really haven’t been out there and looked for it..but I do have pets,” he noted.

“And I am afraid that if the frogs move more east then it would get to the main population of the Bahamas and then lots of people’s dogs and animals would die from this invasive frog.

“…So, it’s not just a Venetian problem, it’s a Bahamas problem.”

The cane toad was previously identified in 2013 in Lyford Cay, another gated community, and was believed to have entered the country by way of imported plant material.

In an effort to prevent the spread of invasive species, environment officials said they re-activated a task force on Friday to deal with its re-emergence in western New Providence.

“Efforts will be undertaken to attempt to identify if the toads may have been transported inadvertently from one location to the other or whether a new importation event has occurred,” the ministry said in a statement.

Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira added: “It is our ultimate desire to eradicate this pest but at the very least we need to stop its spread.

“…The task force will be looking at implementing a long-term monitoring and control programme with landscaping companies working in the west and identifying border control methods to prevent any additional importations.”

In a separate release, the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) confirmed it met with government representatives and other agencies on the matter.

For his part, BNT Executive Director Eric Carey said: “The re-emergence of the cane toad is a major concern for our vulnerable native wildlife. I believe that with immediate action, the elimination of invasive cane toads from our islands is possible and necessary to mitigate further threats before the unwelcomed species gets out of control.”

Anyone who spots a cane toad is asked to contact Ministry of Environment officials.