Thanks to the generosity of a senior citizen who took a tour of Nonsuch Island in 2000, a long-lasting toad barrier was erected on the island in ongoing efforts to protect the endangered cahow.

Through the Audubon Society, Roderick Ferguson donated the funds needed to erect the three-foot high polyethylene barrier, which prevents the Cane Toad from entering a fresh water pond on Nonsuch Island and breeding.

So far, according to Government Conservation Officer Jeremy Madeiros, approximately 700 of the toads have been removed and placed on the mainland.

The amphibians are a potential threat to the cahows when they seek refuge in their underground nests.

If a bird approaches the toad it could emit a poisonous substance that could kill it.

"The installation of a toad barrier around the freshwater pond on Nonsuch Island has been a great success," Mr. Madeiros said.

"The toads are also known to prey on the endemic skink, so their eradication from Nonsuch Island is doubly important."