Australia's Cane Toad Problem

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]In 1935, Australia was decimated by the cane beetle. It was destroying all the crops. So, what did the government do in their infinite wisdom? They introduced a South American toad. But, you know what they didn't do? They didn't see if this toad could actually reach the [ __ ] beetle on the plant. The beetle itself lives up high in the sugarcane. This stupid bloody toad couldn't jump high enough to eat these beetles. So, you know what the toad did? It started rooting. Rooting and didn't stop. Their populations exploded. They have no natural predators and the Australian predators, they well, they thought, "Well, we'll have a bite of that." But, they're toxic. So, then all the predators start dying. These toads keep rooting. They start growing everywhere.

[00:00:44]And now there's 200 million cane toads spreading across the continent. But, here's the most insane part of this story, other than these toads being everywhere and sometimes when you drive in Queensland, you run over about 400 of them. That's not a joke.

[00:00:59]are changing the genetics of Australian snakes. Snakes in Australia now have bigger heads so they can swallow these cane toads. That is evolution in fast motion. All caused by a [ __ ] government in 1935.