Toads teach evolution
February 15, 2006 11:02 AM   Subscribe

... before the toads evolve into even more dangerous adversaries. So read up. Know the enemy. Consider biological warfare which may be in violation of one of those Geneva Convention thingies.
posted by ewkpates (32 comments total)
 
Ha. Good thing America never introduced animals or plants that ended up screwing things up.

And for the heck of it, I guess them toads have been getting a leg up on the competition.

Muwahaha. Sorry.
posted by Atreides at 11:09 AM on February 15, 2006


I think you meant "the toads intellegently design into even more dangerous adversaries."

Otherwise you're only presenting one half of the debate.
posted by deliquescent at 11:16 AM on February 15, 2006


The researchers studied toads leading the invasion about 60 km (37 miles) east of the northern city of Darwin.

Coincidence?
posted by MrZero at 11:16 AM on February 15, 2006


please god no one say "I for one welcome our toad overloads..."
posted by Hands of Manos at 11:22 AM on February 15, 2006


This toad must be related to Bufo alvarius, which is the American toad from which one can extract hallucinogenic secretions which can then be smoked. I wonder if these Australian toads get you high (if they don't kill you).
posted by kozad at 11:22 AM on February 15, 2006


Cane toads in Australia have developed longer legs to enable them to invade more territory, scientists said on Wednesday.

I think you mean, God designed longer legs for His cane toad creations. At least let our children critically debate the matter in the public schools -- otherwise you're an anti-Christian bigot!
posted by orthogonality at 11:25 AM on February 15, 2006


Cane Toads was a cult favorite in high school. Informative and hilarious!

Though nonnative species introduction is nothing to laugh at...
posted by sarahmelah at 11:31 AM on February 15, 2006


My whole reason for this post, aside from my unnatural interest in the sheer destructive power of the cane toad, was to hear someone say...

"I, for one, welcome our new toad overlords."
posted by ewkpates at 11:35 AM on February 15, 2006


Well, now two people have done so.
posted by brundlefly at 11:37 AM on February 15, 2006


Oh, evolve!
posted by ZenMasterThis at 11:38 AM on February 15, 2006


No link about the game Battletoads?
posted by qvantamon at 11:38 AM on February 15, 2006


kozad: yes, they do; in the documentary that sarahmelah linked to there is a segment that discusses how "the kids" would take dead toads, boil them for a bit, skim the crud from the top, dry said crud, then smoke it. Supposedly wicked hallucinogeic or something.

My recollection is a little hazy since I was also in high school at the time, but I do remember that unlike some of the other homebrew methods for supposedly getting high (banana peels, morningglory seeds, etc), nobody was too interested in trying the toad high.
posted by dammitjim at 11:43 AM on February 15, 2006


The overlord thing only counts if its on its own line.

Also, I suggest the game Worms Armageddon.
posted by ewkpates at 11:57 AM on February 15, 2006


Somebody please post a picture of a cane toad with pancakes on its head....
posted by zaelic at 12:02 PM on February 15, 2006


Couldn't they just give every ten year old a BB gun and consider the problem with cane toad solved?
posted by 517 at 12:45 PM on February 15, 2006


Cool post. I remember seeing a documentary about cane toads that set out the incentives the authorities were trying to use to keep them under control. Kids were being paid to bring them in, plus they were thinking of all sorts of novel uses for dead toads - the highlight was curing the skin and turning it into a toad-shaped wallet. All we need is an Ugg boots-style craze to sweep the world and the Aussies will be laughing...
posted by greycap at 12:48 PM on February 15, 2006


See also.
posted by brundlefly at 12:54 PM on February 15, 2006


They also scream if you threaten them. I wish I was making that up.
posted by cmyk at 1:00 PM on February 15, 2006


"please god no one say "I for one welcome our toad overloads...""

I can do one better!
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:12 PM on February 15, 2006


Also...
posted by iamck at 2:43 PM on February 15, 2006


Just another reason to hate tropical Australia.
posted by wilful at 2:55 PM on February 15, 2006


Whose idea was this? Was it the same guy who introduced kudzu to the southeastern United States?
posted by Cranberry at 3:14 PM on February 15, 2006


Hey, Kudzu is a wonderful thing. Check out the wonderful world of Kudzu!
posted by Atreides at 3:27 PM on February 15, 2006


Personally, I'm a big fan of nutria.
posted by brundlefly at 3:56 PM on February 15, 2006


In my home town on the central Queensland coast a few kids would end up in hospital each year after rendering down toads trying to get high. Unfortunately they are pretty toxic.

As for the cane toad problem, a 5-iron was the local favourite.
posted by markr at 6:14 PM on February 15, 2006


...thinking of all sorts of novel uses for dead toads - the highlight was curing the skin and turning it into a toad-shaped wallet.
posted by greycap at 12:48 PM PST on February 15 [!]

Did someone say toad wallet?
posted by onegreeneye at 8:53 PM on February 15, 2006


http://disturbingauctions.com/view.php?item=41 (meant to be in above post, dangit)
posted by onegreeneye at 8:54 PM on February 15, 2006


onegreeney: I used to sell those at a Voodoo shop on Bourbon Street. The It's-Good-For-Australia pitch is old hat to me. Those little buggers just get creepier when you add a zipper.
posted by brundlefly at 9:46 PM on February 15, 2006


I used to sell those at a Voodoo shop on Bourbon Street.

Brundlefly: Man, you have my dancing coffee cup beat as a cool, former job.
posted by onegreeneye at 10:36 PM on February 15, 2006


It would be cool, 'cept it sucked. Great people worked there, but the owner and the clientele were personifications of evil. Not Voodoo evil. Just crazy-Brazilian-fascist-asshole evil and drunk-midwestern-asshole evil, respectively.
posted by brundlefly at 10:48 PM on February 15, 2006


Screaming? In the UK, frogs that lived in my garden pond ("common frogs") made a screaming sound when frightened or attacked, which sounded exactly like a crying baby.
posted by Goofyy at 11:30 PM on February 15, 2006


There is no god, as I for one talcum sour toad over whored!
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:28 AM on February 16, 2006


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