Creature Feature #93: Cane Toad

Native to Central and South America, the Cane Toad is a large, terrestrial amphibian. His name is derived for the purpose he was put to - released amongst the sugar cane, he would make a meal of any pests that might damage it without, himself, damaging the cane. He was introduced to Australia, amongst other countries, as an agent of biological control. A fast breeder, the Cane Toad is also toxic, which can be fatal to any predators that might eat him. These two traits have made his colonisation of foreign climes a swift success and he is now rated amongst the top#100 most Invasive Species.

Creature Feature #84: Carp

The Carp Family includes numerous species of oily, freshwater fish. This fellow is the Common Carp, naturally widespread across Europe and Asia, he has also been domesticated, insofar as fish can be domesticated, and introduced into various waterways throughout the world. Here he has made a bit of a pest of himself. He is an ominvore, and rather a messy eater: destroying, uprooting submerged vegetation, and his excretion contains undigested plant matter which fouls, raising the nutritional level of the water and encouraging algae growth. He also devours the eggs of other fish and is considered one of the #100 worst invasive species in the world.