While the rest of the country is worried about coronavirus, residents of a gated community out West dealing with another C-word: Cane toads!
A trio from Bahamas National Trust visited Venetian West this week after receiving reports about possible cane toad sightings. Well, lo and behold, the BNT team checked out the pond at the centre of the sprawling community and discovered 30-40 THOUSAND cane toad eggs and caught 12 juveniles.
They suspect hundreds of juvenile cane toads are hopping all over the property, which features several green spaces frequented by young children playing and residents who walk their house pets.
The poisonous species of toad can grow up to 10 inches in length.
One resident told us he was jogging around the community one morning and a juvenile cane toad hopped right across the street in front of him. He almost jumped out of his Nikes.
BNT reps said this is “highly alarming” because cane toads are a highly adaptive and invasive species that produces a poisonous toxin that can kill both humans and animals!
BNT urged all landscaping companies to carefully check their vehicles for “stowaways”.
Venetian West Homeowners Association sent a notice to members.
It read, “Please note we are informed that the Ministry of Environmental Health and Ministry of Agriculture are continuing their assessment of our property with regards to the Cane Toads. They will begin night assessments as early as tonight in an effort to locate and remove the adult toads (breeders) when they are most active. Please continue to avoid the pond area completely and exercise caution on all remaining grassed areas.”
This hopping mad discovery comes seven years after thousands of adult and young cane toads were captured and destroyed in Lyford Cay.