Cane toads arrive in Western Australia

Environment Minister Donna Faragher is urging the community to maintain the fight against cane toads, following confirmation that the invasive species has reached the Western Australian border.

One cane toad was detected by Department of Agriculture and Food quarantine officials last night at the quarantine checkpoint of the Western Australia-Northern Territory border, about 40km east of Kununurra.

Officials were also able to hear a population of toads calling, indicating the imminent arrival of a breeding group.

The community is being urged to remain vigilant as the State Government continues to provide resources to deal with the issue.

"During the past month, we have put a range of measures in place to assist the community in managing the arrival of cane toads including the establishment of disposal points in Kununurra, the creation of a database to record sightings and a series of information brochures and Cane Toad packs," Mrs Faragher said.

"It's been an unprecedented joint government and community effort to stop the toads even before they crossed the border and it has involved hundreds of volunteers alongside wildlife and conservation officers."

The Minister said the issue needed to be tackled from multiple fronts and work continues in research, quarantine and surveillance, biodiversity asset identification and protection and public awareness programs.

"The Department of Environment and Conservation's surveillance and control team based in Kununurra will continue to work with community groups to reduce the number of toads moving west," Mrs Faragher said.

"The State Government is also working with researchers at the University of Sydney to determine the impact that cane toads will have on our native animals and to find an effective control method."