Scientists have discovered that cane toad tadpoles are cannibals and will voraciously eat the 20,000 eggs laid by a cane toad.

Click PLAY to hear the ingenious discovery.

Rick Shine, Professor of Biology at Macquarie University, explained to 6PR Breakfast hosts Millsy and Karl that genetic interventions which prevent tadpoles from developing into adult cane toads could allow the population to be eliminated by its own spawn.

“The beauty of these guys is that they seem to have no effect on the native species at all,” he said.

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Image: iStock