From MICHAEL BEDWARD
It was disappointing to see a decline in Australian snake populations,
attributed to coastal development, the spread of the introduced cane toad
and the use of pesticide, described as ‘the good news’ (This Week, 2 January).
Australia already has an appalling record of native mammal extinctions since
European settlement. Surely the fact that we may now be pushing some of
the continent’s unique reptiles towards a similar fate is not something
to celebrate.
Michael Bedward Balmain, NSW, Australia
