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Cane Toads on Maui

Cane Toads on Maui

Cane Toad: Rhinella marina were first introduced to Oahu, Hawaii in 1932. 148 Toads were released by sugar growers to control sugar cane beetles. Descendants of this original introduction were subsequently spread, intentionally, throughout the Hawaiian Islands, and is a major pest on all islands including Maui. The Toads couldn’t do a good job of controlling the cane beetle as the sugar cane stalks are often towering 6-8 feet high so most of the cane beetles sitting on the stalks were out of reach for the ground dwelling toads. The introduction of cane toads was a biological blunder and failure of epic proportions. Toads in Hawaii have no natural predators, they reproduce quickly and have little or no competition. The intentional release of this alien species of cane toads by the Sugar Cane industry was an ecological disaster for the Hawaiian islands because these toads indiscriminately preyed upon local insects and native frog species. Cane Toads produce toxic compounds through their skin, so do not touch them, or let your animals lick or bite them.
 

Mongoose on Maui

Mongoose on Maui

Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) were introduced to help control rats. They now run wild all over the island, they probably do more harm to bird species than any rats. Mongoose move very fast and are usually shy, Most people will catch a fleeting glimpse of one when they dart in to the bushes at the edge of the roadway. In several camping areas mongoose have become emboldened and less wary of Man. They will stroll around the campgrounds looking for food scraps. The mongooses found in Hawai’i are native to India and were originally introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in 1883 by the sugar industry to control rats in sugarcane fields on Maui, Moloka’i and O’ahu.