Review of the management of feral animals and their impact on ...

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Summary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> effectiveness <strong>of</strong> fox control methods Method <strong>of</strong> control Ground baiting with 1080 Aerial baiting with 1080 Efficacy Control method efficiency High High Target specificity Variable Moderate High Unknown Logistical practicalities Low to moderate Low to moderate Overall effectiveness 124 High Advantages <strong>of</strong> method Disadvantages <strong>of</strong> method Relatively target specific control applicable across broad areas <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong> in a cost effective manner. Baits can be made more target specific by burying <strong>and</strong> placement High Broad-scale control over remote <strong>and</strong> inaccessible areas. Potential non-target <strong>impact</strong>s. Road access required. Potential non-target <strong>impact</strong>s <strong>and</strong> efficacy needs research <strong>and</strong> refining with baiting strategies. Bounties Low Low High Low Low Incentive for control Fraudulent claims Efforts only targeted where fox densities are high Fencing Moderate Trapping Low Moderate Low Hunting Moderate High High Low High Moderate Moderate to high Very effective in small conservation areas Small <strong>impact</strong> on population Risk <strong>of</strong> breaching Expensive to erect <strong>and</strong> maintain Not suitable for broad-scale application Low Low Target specific trouble <strong>animals</strong> Inhumane <strong>and</strong> not recommended High labour costs Moderate Unknown Generally free for l<strong>and</strong> manager Deliberate releases <strong>of</strong> foxes Ground shooting Low Low High Low Low Target specific Difficult in remote areas Labour intensive Den destruction Low Low Variable Useful for localised fox problems Not effective for broad scale control <strong>and</strong> fumigation where baiting <strong>and</strong> shooting is not Potential health risks for operators an option Labour intensive Fertility control Unknown Unknown Variable Unknown Unknown No suitable method is available Biological control Unknown Unknown Unknown High Unknown Cost effective if selfdisseminating No suitable biocontrol is available
5.10 Management <strong>of</strong> rabbits Rabbit control was first attempted in <strong>the</strong> 1880s in south-eastern Australia (Meyers et al. 1994). Early methods <strong>of</strong> control included extensive rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fencing, mass poisoning campaigns <strong>and</strong> rabbit drives. Control was only achieved on some individual properties through labour intensive efforts including fencing, removal <strong>of</strong> harbour, manually digging out warrens <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> persistent hunting <strong>of</strong> remnant rabbits (Edwards & Dobbie 1999). Athough control technology has improved since <strong>the</strong>n, <strong>the</strong> complete removal <strong>of</strong> rabbits from Australia is still well beyond <strong>the</strong> capacity <strong>of</strong> available techniques <strong>and</strong> resources. Recently, <strong>the</strong> eradication <strong>of</strong> rabbits from localised, newly established populations has been accomplished <strong>and</strong> is feasible (McManus 1979, Martin & Sobey 1983) provided a sufficiently rapid, well-funded <strong>and</strong> persistent campaign could be mounted. Most rabbit control programs now aim to achieve <strong>the</strong> long-term suppression <strong>of</strong> rabbit populations, to reduce <strong>the</strong> damage that rabbits cause to production <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> environment in <strong>the</strong> most cost-efficient manner (Williams et al. 1995). Fencing Fences have <strong>of</strong>ten been used to exclude rabbits from an area. Rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fencing deters immigration <strong>and</strong> is particularly useful where control methods are to be applied only on one side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fence, or for sequential control operations over large areas. Long-term exclusion requires <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> wire-netting fences (McKillop & Wilson 1987). Electrified wire-netting fences can be very effective if properly maintained. Where <strong>the</strong> rabbit’s normal food source is some distance from <strong>the</strong> warren, temporary electric fencing can be used to prevent access to <strong>the</strong> food <strong>and</strong> to make baiting near warrens more effective. The entire length <strong>of</strong> fencing, including gates, must always be maintained in good repair, requiring regular patrols <strong>and</strong> repairs <strong>and</strong> potentially high ongoing costs (Korn & Hosie 1988, Williams et al. 1995). Breaches <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fence resulting from burrowing <strong>animals</strong>, fire damage, tree falls stock or rabbits climbing into <strong>the</strong> exclusion zone will quickly make it ineffective (Williams et al. 1995). The high cost ($1700 - $3500 per kilometre, Korn & Hosie 1988, Williams et al. 1995) <strong>and</strong> need for ongoing maintenance generally limits <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> such fences to small regions <strong>and</strong> those <strong>of</strong> high conservation value. Fencing can be used on perimeters <strong>of</strong> properties, or internally to protect high-value assets such as tree plantations, or to contain rabbits in areas where control is difficult. Internal fences may enable a sequential control program through a property with minimum recolonisation <strong>of</strong> paddocks already treated. The movements <strong>and</strong> dynamics <strong>of</strong> native fauna populations should be considered in <strong>the</strong> planning <strong>and</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fences to ensure non-target <strong>impact</strong>s are minimised. Rabbit-pro<strong>of</strong> fences in Australia Australia has a long history with using barrier-fencing for control <strong>of</strong> <strong>feral</strong> <strong>animals</strong>. In 1896, Arthur Gregory Mason recommended <strong>the</strong> WA government build a rabbit pro<strong>of</strong> fence to stop <strong>the</strong> westward encroachment <strong>of</strong> rabbits into Western Australia. After much debate <strong>and</strong> a Royal Commission, <strong>the</strong> government eventually adopted <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> a barrier fence <strong>and</strong> began construction in late 1901. Seven years <strong>of</strong> hard work followed - gangs <strong>of</strong> men, teams <strong>of</strong> horses, mules, camels, wagons, carts, picks <strong>and</strong> shovels, <strong>and</strong> a lot <strong>of</strong> sweat <strong>and</strong> tired muscles. When <strong>the</strong> fence 125
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Review of<
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Contributors Andrew Norris Pest Ani
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3.7.36 Common Myna (Acridot
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Table of figures F
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Section 2 Introduction Feral <stron
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Amanda Dimmock, QD
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Section 3 A status review o
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3.4 Birds Thirteen (or 14) species
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Information on the
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Summary A rodent that contributes t
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Dingoes can become a threat to wild
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The significance of</strong
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macropods and b<st
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^Lasiorhinus krefftii North
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Perceived threat Geopsittacus occid
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conservation areas. It is less clea
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Table 8 Rare species found in <stro
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Competition Several examples are re
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In truth, camels do substantial dam
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the Tanami. Buffal
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The situation today Buffalo numbers
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qualify under IUCN criteria as enda
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3.7.16 Goat (Capra hircus) Summary
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Drakonorchis drakeoides Hinged Drag
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3.7.19 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Su
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Impacts Much is known about <strong
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Distribution Ostriches have won <st
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nest in tree hollows along
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Distribution The skylark is found i
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Distribution The blackbird is wides
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Land, and<
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have been translocated to o
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esources. Significant investment in
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many native species (Clarke et al.
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spread across the
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Section 4 Legislative framework 4.1
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protection, as long as it falls wit
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Native Vegetation Conservation Act
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ehabilitate existing native vegetat
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suppression, which is the</
Page 82 and 83: al. 1986, 1987). The use of
Page 84 and 85: 5.1.4 Mustering Commercial musterin
Page 86 and 87: etal. (1997) found that many native
Page 88 and 89: the vaccine <stron
Page 90 and 91: Where possible, integration <strong
Page 92 and 93: strategy, relative cost-effectivene
Page 94 and 95: Fencing Feral buffalo have a reputa
Page 96 and 97: 5.3 Management of
Page 98 and 99: Summary of <strong
Page 100 and 101: time comes for the
Page 104 and 105: Individual tracking Tracking is a l
Page 106 and 107: SA - Currently cats are not widely
Page 108 and 109: Method of control
Page 110 and 111: Aerial shooting Aerial shooting can
Page 114 and 115: 80% of export was
Page 116 and 117: ensuring effective treatment <stron
Page 118 and 119: the lower cost, wi
Page 122 and 123: conservation value rathe</s
Page 124 and 125: effort on the cont
Page 128 and 129: follow transect lines, one kilometr
Page 130 and 131: as a refuge from predators. Removal
Page 134 and 135: was completed it was the</s
Page 136 and 137: warren structure amenable to recolo
Page 138 and 139: Poisons Traditionally, strychnine,
Page 140 and 141: infected and steri
Page 142 and 143: of high priority.
Page 144 and 145: Method of control
Page 148 and 149: technique can allow for cost-effect
Page 152 and 153: In South Australia, between 30 <str
Page 156 and 157: % respondents 100% 90% 80% 70% 60%
Page 158 and 159: a) b) Figure 3. a) Extent o
Page 160 and 161: Figure 4 Response frequency for lik
Page 162 and 163: distribution of <s
Page 164 and 165: Section 7 Key problems and<
Page 166 and 167: • Goats degrading temperate woodl
Page 168 and 169: conservation problems in Europe <st
Page 170 and 171: message that camels are a valuable
Page 172 and 173: In the Koolatong R
Page 174 and 175: environmental degradation’ (Nor<s
Page 176 and 177: ecause dingo and d
Page 178 and 179: Various control methods have been a
Page 180 and 181: Pascale Taplin, an Indigenous L<str
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Lack of a Strategi
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eradicated after seeing the
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In some situations, payment <strong
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could have led to better protocols
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Game hunting is a growing business,
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Much as we might like it, t
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conservation outcome. In such a sit
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community consultation and<
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• Have the non-t
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provide opportunities for strategic
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Section 9 Priorities for investment
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contacted for exact locations <stro
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way. Achilles heel research should
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efficient in any given situation. R
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west Queensland re
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Crossland, MR, 199
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Forsyth, DM, and P
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Lange, RT, and Gra
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Morgan, LA and But
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Parkes, JP, 1990, Feral goat contro
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Van Rensberg, PJJ, Skinner, JD, <st
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Appendix A Ferals animals</
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Indigenous lands I
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Appendix B Stakeholder survey form
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222
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224
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Appendix C Database on past NHT fun
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Lachlan Rehabilitation of</
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Northern Territory
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Cape York Ambiilmungu-Ngarra tradit
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Wet Tropics Expansion and</
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Avon Protecting and</strong
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