The mining giant will spend the funds in collaboration with Perth-based Curtin University and other institutions. The project will establish a dedicated cane toad control zone to stop the amphibians from expanding southwards into the Pilbara ecosystem.
Although cane toads do not pose a direct threat to Rio Tinto's business operations, the toxins they release can be fatal to native wildlife. Their potential arrival in the Pilbara has raised concerns about the survival of several local species and the region's ecological balance.
Rio Tinto has previously faced criticism for destroying two Indigenous rock shelters located above iron ore deposits in the Pilbara. The decision led to the company's then-chief executive officer losing his position.
Roberta Hunter, a ranger at Australia's Nyangumarta Warrarn Indigenous Reserve, said cane toads destroy water sources and animals. "Cane toads destroy water and animals. When they come close to our country, we want to be there to stop them. We don't want our country to be destroyed," she said.
Under the five-year conservation plan, a barrier will be established across 7,500 square kilometres of land between the Great Sandy Desert and the Indian Ocean. The barrier is designed to prevent cane toads from accessing water sources.
Cane toads need water every few days to survive during dry months. When natural water sources are unavailable, they depend on artificial water supplies created for livestock and irrigation.
The project funding will be used to restrict their access to dams, water storage tanks and other underground water sources. The five-year initiative is scheduled to begin in 2027.
If cane toads enter the Pilbara, several native species could face the threat of extinction. These include the endangered northern quoll, a small carnivorous mammal, goanna lizards and ghost bats.
Cane toads were introduced to Australia in 1935 to control certain pests in sugarcane crops. Since then, they have gradually expanded westwards across the country's northern regions.
According to Australian government figures, the species continues to expand its territory, travelling between 40 and 60 kilometres every year. They have no natural predators capable of controlling their population and use poison as a defence mechanism.
Curtin University Professor Ben Phillips said that unless the species is prevented from entering the region, cane toads could reach the Pilbara within the next two decades.
He described the initiative as a rare opportunity to stop the spread of one of the world's most dangerous invasive species and protect the region's unique wildlife. The conservation project will focus on restricting access to water, creating a barrier against the species' southward expansion and safeguarding vulnerable native animals across the Pilbara ecosystem.
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