Cane toads, the green and warty invasive animals that are spreading ruin throughout ecosystems in northern Australia, may not continue their relentless march southward towards the sea. According to a new study, lower temperatures in the south may stop the toads in their tracks. Researchers coaxed the toads into hopping through a 2-meter course in a laboratory to make a so-called "cane toad Olympics," and measured the cold-blooded creatures' hops at different temperatures. They found that in temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the toads could hop at a speed of over one mile per hour. But below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, they slowed to a glacial .2 miles per hour.
"This means that there's no way the toads could invade southern parts like Melbourne, Adelaide … because they wouldn't be able to move," said researcher Dr Michael Kearney.... The winters of southern Australia would be too cold for the cane toads ...
