In a move that proves even mining giants can be moved by the plight of small, poisonous amphibians, Rio Tinto is pouring millions into stopping the cane toad from reaching the Pilbara region of western Australia, where the company has a vast iron ore operation. The firm, alongside Curtin University in Perth and others, will spend A$28m (£14.5m) building a "toad containment zone" to prevent the pest from travelling south. Because nothing says corporate responsibility like a $28 million toad wall.

While the cane toad is not a direct threat to Rio Tinto's business - unless you count the PR nightmare of being known as the company that let the toads win - it produces toxins lethal to native wildlife and poses a threat to Pilbara's ecosystem. Rio Tinto, of course, has previously faced criticism for destroying two sacred Aboriginal rock shelters in Pilbara that sat above tonnes of iron ore. That decision cost the former chief executive his job, provoked a widespread backlash, and saw Rio Tinto commit to rebuilding trust with Indigenous communities. So perhaps this toad initiative is a chance to show they can protect something other than their bottom line.

Commenting on the proposed containment zone, Roberta Hunter, a ranger in Australia's Nyangumarta Warrarn Indigenous Protected Area, said: "Cane toads destroy the water and animals. When toads come close to our country, we want to be there to stop them because we don't want the country to be destroyed." A sentiment that resonates with anyone who's ever tried to keep an invasive species out of their backyard - except this backyard is 7,500 square kilometers.

The plan is to cut off the toad's water supply by building a barrier across 7,500 sq km (2,895 sq m) of land between the Great Sandy Desert and the Indian Ocean. In drier months, the cane toad needs water every few days to survive. If there are no natural water sources, the toad relies on artificial water points normally used for cattle and irrigation. The funding will be used to stop the toad accessing dams, storage tanks or other ground-level water sources. The five-year project will begin in 2027. Because nothing says "Australian innovation" like denying a toad a drink.

A number of native species are at risk if the toad gets into Pilbara. These include the northern quoll, whose numbers have been decreasing, the goanna lizard and the ghost bat. Because nothing says "ecosystem collapse" like a poisonous amphibian with a taste for everything.

The toads were introduced into Australia in 1935 to control beetles within the sugar cane industry. Since then, they have been on a slow march west across the country's northern landscape, according to the Australian government, travelling between 40 km and 60 km a year. There are no predators or diseases that control the toads, which defend themselves using poison. So, naturally, the solution is to build a giant, expensive water blockade - because apparently toads didn't get the memo about borders.

Ben Phillips, a professor at Curtin University, said the toads would reach Pilbara within two decades without action. He said: "The toad containment zone is a once in a lifetime opportunity to stop one of the world's worst invasive species in its tracks and protect the region's unique wildlife." A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that costs A$28 million and involves outsmarting a toad. What could possibly go wrong?