This article is about a group of ecologists that have successfully trained the Northern Quoll to turn its nose up at the toxic cane toads. The Northern Quoll are critically endangered and the ecologists in Australia created a study to try to bring them out of endangerment. This animal likes to eat large toads like the Cane toad. Unfortunately the Cane Toad is very toxic when eaten. So Dr Jonathan Webb and others, from the University of Sydney, construct a study to teach northern quolls to associate sickness with cane toads. if this is possible, this might be one way of conserving them. They used 62 Quoll from the Territory Wildlife Park. Half of the 62 are taught to refuse the toad. A couple of days before the 31 trained Quolls are released into to the wild, they are given toads that weigh 2 grams laced with a nausea-inducing thiabendazole. This is not enough to kill them just make them sick. To test if this really worked both groups were given a live Cane Toad in a plastic container; they wanted to see if they would attack it. Then the Quoll were fitted with radio collars and released into the wild.
I think it's great that scientists are trying to save animal species! I believe that there are ways to keep animals save and healthy in their environment but we have to do our part. If training them to be picky eatters saves them then I have no problem with it.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100413095853.htm
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