CANE toads are helping save quolls from extinction, in the form of toad sausages.
Scientists from the University of Sydney have been feeding endangered quolls sausages made from the toxic toad in an effort to make the marsupials sick.
After their unpleasant experience with the sausages, the quolls are likely to avoid eating poisonous cane toads in the wild.
Toads have been responsible for killing thousands of native animals, which have ingested venom from poisonous sacs on the amphibian’s back.
Professor Rick Shine said quolls had disappeared from areas where cane toads were found.
“If you don’t train quolls to leave toads alone, they’re very likely to eat the first toad they encounter and die as a result,” he said.
Professor Shine said the strategy of training quolls to avoid toads arrived allowed them to colonise the area before the new threat is introduced.
