Invasive species

Cane toads are a significant threat to wildlife and humans. They transmit disease and can cause illness or death to humans and domestic animals if venom is ingested or enters the eye.

Mature female cane toad lays thousands of eggs per season. 

Black eggs are laid in long clear gelatinous strands. Developing tadpoles appear as a black bead strand.

You can take proactive measures to control and prevent them from spreading. 

What you can do

To remove eggs and prevent spreading, use disposable gloves and:

• lift the egg strand from the water
• put the egg strand in a bag and throw it out with your general waste, or
• lay the eggs in the sun and dry.

To deter cane toads from your property:

• use fences 50 centimetres high that are made of plastic or metal 
• use natural barriers such as dense bushes, shrubs, grasses, rocks and logs. 

Although non-native, the cane toad is not listed as a species that must be managed in the Biosecurity Act 2014. This is because they have become so well established that eradication is no longer feasible.  

To report cane toads:

• complete our feral animal sightings form 
• call Council on 07 3403 8888. 

Keeping Moreton Island cane toad free

Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) does remain cane toad free, however. It is one of only a few locations in coastal Queensland where cane toads are not found. We want to keep this area cane toad free to protect local species.

To keep Moreton Island cane toad free, check your camping and fishing gear before travelling to reduce the risk that you may accidentally transport cane toads to the island. 

Be vigilant when unpacking, as every year cane toads try to sneak across with visitors. As camper trailers, utes and vehicles are unpacked, be on the look-out for stow aways. If you find one, contact the Park Ranger who will ensure it is humanely euthanised. 

To report cane toads on Moreton Island (Mulgumpin), you can:  

• complete our feral animal sightings form 
• call Council on 07 3403 8888. 

Download the fact sheet to learn more about how you can help keep cane toads off Moreton Island.

Video: Cane Toad Detection

One of the ways we’re ensuring cane toads stay off the island is by using cane toad detection dogs.

View a demonstration of the cane toad detection dogs.

Transcript 

Hi. My name's Steve Austin and this is Tommy.

Tommy's a working English Springer Spaniel and we're very fortunate to work for the Brisbane City Council at the lovely Moreton Island, doing our very best to make sure no cane toads get on the island, to help Brisbane City Council.

Hopefully we can continue to keep Moreton Island free of toads.

The red imported fire ant (fire ant) (Solenopsis invicta) originated in South America and is the most dangerous invasive species in Australia. Bites from fire ants can be severe and can cause severe allergic (anaphylaxis) reactions requiring first aid or an emergency response.

The Australian Government, in partnership with all states and territories, is delivering the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program, to prevent their spread.

Fire ants look like ordinary house or garden ants. They vary in size from 2-6mm and are copper brown in colour with a darker abdomen.

Fire ants can be identified by their aggressive behaviour when their nest is disturbed. 

Nests can be inconspicuous and look like a small bucket of soil that has been gently tipped onto the ground. There are no entry or exit holes, and no ant activity will be observed if the nest is undisturbed. Nests can be established in garden beds, lawns, pot plants, along fence lines, and along the edge of concrete paths.

What you can do

If you suspect you have fire ants, keep children and pets away from the area where you think there is a nest.

Don’t touch the nest or break it open until treatment has been completed. 

For more information about fire ants, visit the National Fire Ant Eradication Program.

Yellow crazy ants don’t sting, however they do spray formic acid when they are disturbed.

They are 5 millimetres long and have a yellowish tan with a slender body and long antennae.

To report Yellow crazy ants, you can:  

• complete our feral animal sightings form 
• call Council on 07 3403 8888. 

European red foxes can injure or kill poultry, livestock and domestic pets.

They also have the potential to spread diseases which may affect human health.

European red foxes must not be distributed, kept, given away, sold, traded, released into the environment, moved or fed. 

What you can do

To deter foxes from entering your property, you can:

• construct a fox-proof enclosure for poultry 
• clean up uneaten pet food and excess fallen fruit from trees 
• cover and secure compost piles and bins.

Stay away from foxes and their dens.

To report foxes, you can: 

• complete our feral animal sightings form 
• call Council on 07 3403 8888. 

Deer not kept in a deer-proof enclosure are classed as feral.

They must not be distributed, given away, sold, traded, released into the environment, moved or fed. It’s also illegal to feed them.  

The feral deer species found around Brisbane are:

• Rusa deer

• Red deer

• Fallow deer 

Feral deer can:

• damage native vegetation

• reduce water quality in creeks, wetlands and rivers

• create traffic hazards 

• attract illegal hunting

• transmit diseases and parasites to humans, domestic animals and wildlife

• behave aggressively.

What you can do

To deter deer from entering your property, you can:

• remove food sources such as fallen fruit from trees  

• manage weeds in your grass (deer feed on weeds)

• install exclusion fencing if you have a small property.

To report feral deer, you can:

• submit a feral animal sightings form
• call Council on 07 3403 8888. 

Cats without owners and that are not microchipped are non-domestic cats. This includes those that are semi-dependent on humans, stray or feral. 

Non-domestic cats can prey on small animals, carry parasites and pose a risk to human health.  

They must not be distributed, given away, sold, traded, released into the environment, moved or fed. 

What you can do

To limit the non-domestic cat population:

• don’t feed a cat that you do not own

• don't release a domestic cat into the environment.

Always keep your pets safely secured or inside. Under Council’s Animals Local Law 2017, owners are required to provide an enclosure for their animal to keep it on the property and prevent it from wandering. 

To report feral cat, you can:

• submit a feral animal sightings form
• call Council on 07 3403 8888. 

Rabbits are Australia’s most destructive introduced pest.

They can damage vegetation by eating seeds and seedlings and grazing on native grasses. 

They also contribute to the decline of native animal's numbers through competition for resources. Their burrows and digging can cause erosion and increase sedimentation of waterways.

What you can do

Monitor your property every month to check for evidence of rabbit activity. There are 2 monitoring methods.

• Daytime inspection for fresh rabbit droppings, diggings and holes in or under fencing.

• Nighttime inspection for feeding rabbits.

The most effective way to remove rabbits from your property is to destroy all warrens to ensure they don’t recolonise.

If you find rabbits under disused sheds and buildings:  

• remove flooring to gain access to the burrow  

• remove nearby piles of rubbish.

To report rabbits, you can:

• submit a feral animal sightings form
• call Council on 07 3403 8888. 

Common mynas are native to India and can cause significant negative impacts to our local biodiversity. 

They compete aggressively for nesting hollows, displacing, outcompeting and excluding many native wildlife species.

Common mynas can: 

• cause environmental damage 
• pose a health risk by nesting in roofs, leaving droppings and mites that are ideal conditions for disease 
• damage fruit crops in some areas.  

What you can do

To limit common myna activity, you can:

• refrain from feeding them

• plant trees and shrubs to reduce the amount of open space in your garden

• if using artificial nest boxes to encourage wildlife, use a nest box with a backwards-facing entry. This allows access to small possums, gliders, small bats and some native birds, while excluding access to common mynas

• remove unnecessary water sources and left-over pet food from the backyard.

Do not try to kill or injure the birds.

Invasive plants can have a detrimental impact on native species and vegetation.

Examples of pest plants include:

• water hyacinth
• broad-leaf pepper tree
• parthenium.

What you can do

To help control invasive plants:  

• only use native plants in aquariums and outdoor ponds (e. g. hornwort, thin vale, water sprite) 
• choose native or non-invasive plants when planting your garden 
• use our weed identification tool to identify weeds in your yard, learn control methods and replace them with native alternatives. 

You can also report invasive weeds using our online form.