On Friday, May 29, 2020 the Ministry of the Environment and Housing after receiving confirmation of the re-emergence of the Cane Toad in the western end of New Providence has re-activated the task force of Government and Private Sector Organizations to tackle the invasive toad.

The Cane Toad was previously identified in 2013 in Lyford Cay and was believed to have entered the country by way of imported plant material.

When originally identified, an intense and deliberate action was taken by government, NGOs and private citizens to launch an intense day and night "seek and destroy" mission against the toad. But now reports have come in which indicate that the toad's presence has been discovered in the newly developed subdivision of Venetian West.

Efforts will be undertaken to attempt to identify if the toads may have been transported inadvertently from one location to the other or whether a new importation event has occurred. The task force will be meeting on Tuesday June 2, 2020 to develop the most appropriate strategy given this new outbreak.

Minister of the Environment and Housing, the Hon. Romauld Ferreira said: "The Ministry of Environment takes this new event regarding the toads very seriously. It is our ultimate desire to eradicate this pest but at the very least we need to stop its spread. Any attempt to control the spread of this new invasive will require the government and the private sector working together in a concerted effort. The fact that it has taken the toad seven years to re-emerge provides an indication that we can once again knock it back.

“The task force will be looking at implementing a long-term monitoring and control program with landscaping companies working in the west and identifying border control methods to prevent any additional importations."