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

Plants
Thryptomene wittweri Conospermum toddii Eriocaulon carsonii
Marieana rhorlachii Acacia carnei Acacia rhigiopylla
Codonocarpus
Hemichroa
Acacia spilleriana
pyramidalis
Acacia wattsiana
mesembryan<strong>the</strong>a
Animals
Bilby Brush tailed phascogale Thick billed grass-wren
Marsupial mole Carpentarian antechinus Painted snipe
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn hopping mouse Mulgara Plains w<strong>and</strong>erer
Golden backed tree rat Carpet python. Night parrot
S<strong>and</strong>hill dunnart Woma python Australian bustard
Kowari Pigmy blue-tongue Crested shrike-tit
Brush-tailed rabbit-rat Great Desert skink, Red goshawk
Spectacled hare-wallaby Bronzeback snake-lizard Striated grass-wren
Golden b<strong>and</strong>icoot Leichhardt’s grasshopper Black-eared miner
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn quoll Malleefowl Chestnut quail-thrush
Chuditch Yellow chat Emu
Black-footed rock
wallaby
Carpentarian grass-wren
The common denominator in answers regarding <strong>the</strong> <strong>impact</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>feral</strong> <strong>animals</strong> on
regional biodiversity hotspots was that water courses sustain <strong>the</strong> greatest <strong>impact</strong>.
Nearly all those who responded to <strong>the</strong> question commented on damage to waterholes
or <strong>the</strong> associated riparian vegetation, particularly by <strong>feral</strong> pigs, <strong>feral</strong> camels <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r
large herbivores.
Most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong> managers <strong>and</strong> regional community groups indicated that <strong>the</strong>y were
aware <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> main legislation governing <strong>feral</strong> animal <strong>management</strong> (e.g. EPBC Act),
however most did not list <strong>and</strong> were presumably unawares <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r associated
legislation (e.g. Wild dog Act in Queensl<strong>and</strong>). Many respondents were happy with <strong>the</strong>
present legislation but want to see it more stringently enforced. It was suggested that
<strong>the</strong> political will was not <strong>the</strong>re because stricter enforcement would require greater
investment. Several private l<strong>and</strong> managers were quite scathing <strong>of</strong> current legislative
requirements for <strong>feral</strong> animal <strong>management</strong> on crown l<strong>and</strong>s. They believed that
regulations should be implemented to enforce higher levels <strong>of</strong> control on <strong>the</strong>se l<strong>and</strong>s
by government departments. The issue <strong>of</strong> inconsistent status for pest species was also
raised. For example, in Western Australia, goats are classified as a declared pest <strong>and</strong>
domestic species at <strong>the</strong> same time, hindering <strong>the</strong>ir control. Whilst some are trying to
rid <strong>the</strong>m from <strong>the</strong>ir property, o<strong>the</strong>rs are encouraging <strong>the</strong>ir numbers to increase or
bringing <strong>the</strong>m into <strong>the</strong> region for stock, sometimes without <strong>the</strong> infrastructure to
prevent <strong>the</strong>ir escape (S. Clarke CALM, pers. comm.)
The most commonly used <strong>management</strong> techniques were baiting <strong>and</strong> poisoning,
commercial harvesting <strong>and</strong> mustering <strong>and</strong> shooting (both ground <strong>and</strong> aerial). Of <strong>the</strong>
available techniques, baiting <strong>and</strong> poisoning were rated as <strong>the</strong> most successful by far,
followed in a distant second, by shooting (Figure 3). Many respondents indicated <strong>the</strong>y
would like to see biocontrols developed for a greater range <strong>of</strong> species <strong>and</strong> more
effective control techniques for large herbivores.
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