Cane Toads from Australia - China Wants Them for Medicines and for Human Consumption

I can't think of anything worse than eating cane toad meat. Yikes! That's enough to make me convert to vegetarianism.

Cane Toads history in Australia

Cane Toads were introduced into Queensland in 1935 to control two pests of sugar cane - the grey backed cane beetle and the frenchie beetle. They proved to be ineffective. Since then, they have "hopped" to other Australian mainland states where they are a threat to various natural habitats. They are an environmental disaster in Australia.

Plan to export Cane Toads to China for medicine manufacture

John Burey, who owns a meat processing business in Charleville, Queensland is traveling to Beijing next month to try to secure a lucrative export deal for cane toads. Apparently there is substantial demand for the creature for use in medicines.

The Chinese have used toad poison as an expectorant, heart stimulant and as a diuretic. It has also been used as a remedy for toothache and sinusitis.

Mr Burey said cane toad meat was also popular.

"The skin, organs and gut are also used for traditional medicines," he said.

If the deal goes ahead, it could go a long way towards ridding Queensland of a large quantity of the more than 200 million cane toads. They are in plague proportions and are migrating south, so this scheme could be the answer to the problem.

Mr Burey said an export deal could result in collection depots being established up and down the Queensland coast.

"It would be like collecting aluminium cans, people could bring them to us and we would pay per animal or per kilo," he said.

Mr Burey said his company, United Game Processors, already processed kangaroo, pig, camel, donkey and buffalo meat, but wanted to come up with something different.

As with all exports, there are rules and regulations to contend with. Mr Burey has apparently had talks with the Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries department to investigate the paperwork needed to export toads to China. Toad toxin is considered to be a "class one drug" (like heroin). A special permit will be required for the toads to be exported overseas.

Cane Toads and fashion

Last year, I reported that Melbourne designer Karine Emanouel announced she is using cane toad leather for high fashion womens' shoes. The toads are skinned at a farm in Cairns, North Queensland and the leather is said to be similar to snake skin. It is very expensive and a pair of Karine's high heels will retail for AU$540 (US$502).Six toad skins used to make each pair of shoes.

Anything that rids Queensland of some of its plague of toads is a good thing

If Mr Burey is successful with his plan to export cane toads to China, he will be doing the state of Queensland and the country of Australia a great service. Nobody else has come up with a scheme of this proportion to eradicate the pest. If they can be used for a worthwhile purpose in China, then at least they won't have been sacrificed for no good reason.

Sources:

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26625001-5013016,00.html

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