Cane toads

Did a cane toad hunt last night -  this pest species is nocturnal and with the warmer weather they have been hopping around again.  I collected 60 last night and interestingly the behaviour of some of them is changing. In previous years, just about all simply squatted or "posed" when a torch was directed at them. Last night quite a few ran to try and escape.  Collection is simply by picking up and putting into a used chicken feed bag which is tied off to prevent them escaping until the morning. This morning they were dispatched - I use the side of a garden trowel to almost decapitate them and they are then buried in the vegetable garden as a fertiliser.  If you are careful and avoid cutting through the poison glands  on the neck and have the mouth of the toad facing away from you, no fluid comes anywhere near your hands or face.  On one occasion I did get some fluid onto my lips which went numb for awhile even though I washed it off straight away. Strictly speaking one should wear eye goggles, long sleeves and gloves as they do have quite a toxic poison.

Bufo marinus

Other methods of dispatch are putting them into the freezer if you are a bit more squeamish than I am.