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

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The situation today Buffalo numbers are much lower today than during <strong>the</strong> 1980s, when <strong>the</strong>ir numbers reached an estimated 350 000 (Edwards et al. 2003). A major reduction took place under <strong>the</strong> Brucellosis <strong>and</strong> Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign (Wilson et al. 1992). Concerns about buffalo <strong>impact</strong>s have fallen away since <strong>the</strong>n, yet <strong>the</strong>ir numbers are rising quickly. The cull was concentrated in western Arnhem L<strong>and</strong>, while <strong>the</strong> smaller eastern Arnhem L<strong>and</strong> population was deemed to be disease-free <strong>and</strong> was left alone (Bowman 2003). This population has now reached high densities, is spreading into new catchments, <strong>and</strong> serious environmental degradation is under way, including <strong>the</strong> destruction <strong>of</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s from seawater inundation. As well, buffalo are now spreading west to reclaim former habitat, including Kakadu National Park. They were removed from Kakadu in <strong>the</strong> past as part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> brucellosis campaign, but a deal was struck whereby a herd is kept in a fenced section <strong>of</strong> national park as a source <strong>of</strong> meat. This herd serves serves a valuable social role by providing meat to <strong>the</strong> community, although its <strong>management</strong> is inadequately funded. Now that buffalo are recolonising <strong>the</strong> park from outside areas <strong>the</strong> need for ano<strong>the</strong>r cull will emerge. But community leaders may well oppose culling, even though a meat supply is guaranteed by <strong>the</strong> fenced herd. Buffalo are a problem that needs significant investment now before <strong>the</strong>ir numbers rise any higher. As Edwards et al. (2003) observe: ‘Obviously <strong>the</strong> population has enormous growth potential’. The need for a cull is discussed in detail in Section 7. 3.7.14 Bali Banteng (Bos javanicus) O<strong>the</strong>r name Bali Cattle Summary A <strong>feral</strong> cow confined to one national park north-east <strong>of</strong> Darwin, where it causes serious environmental damage, <strong>and</strong> where a cull is urgently needed. Distribution Within Australia, confined to Garig Gunak Barlu National Park on Coburg Peninsula north-east <strong>of</strong> Darwin, where <strong>the</strong> population numbers between 7000 <strong>and</strong> 9000 (K. Saalfield, pers comm). It was introduced to <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory as domesticated livestock in 1845. Native to South East Asia, where it is listed by <strong>the</strong> IUCN as endangered. Impacts Banteng are causing substantial damage to Garig Gunak Barlu National Park (previously called Gurig National Park). They are damaging foreshore dunes <strong>and</strong> altering vegetation structure. They browse low-hanging trees, creating a distinct browse-line (Corbett 1995). They also deplete <strong>the</strong> under story on coastal plains, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y trample wetl<strong>and</strong>s at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dry season (P. Fitzgerald pers. comm.). They are similar enough to domesticated cattle to damage <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scape in <strong>the</strong> same ways. After comparing plots that were fenced to exclude banteng <strong>and</strong> unfenced plots, Panton (1993) found a ‘highly significant difference.’ Fenced plots had 9.2 per cent herbage 34
cover compared with only 0.7 per cent on unfenced l<strong>and</strong>. A CSIRO investigation into <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>impact</strong>s, reported in (Letts et al. 1979), observed: ‘…<strong>the</strong> s<strong>and</strong>y plains appear overgrazed <strong>and</strong> trampled… In areas where <strong>the</strong>se cattle congregate <strong>and</strong> shelter, ground vegetation is considerably damaged <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is a marked browse line on certain species <strong>of</strong> trees. The burrows <strong>of</strong> rodents on <strong>the</strong> s<strong>and</strong>y plains are <strong>of</strong>ten broken into by <strong>the</strong> feet <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cattle.’ (Letts et al. 1979) features photos illustrating banteng damage. The report concluded that <strong>the</strong> damage was not irreversible. Banteng have long been recognised as an environmental problem. During <strong>the</strong> 1970s <strong>the</strong>ir numbers increased dramatically <strong>and</strong> many were shot to reduce <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>impact</strong>s (Corbett 1995). Letts et al. (1979) recommended that banteng be removed from <strong>the</strong> reserve, with perhaps a ‘small herd <strong>of</strong> say 100 head’ retained for historical reasons within a small fenced area. In 1978 <strong>the</strong> shooting stopped <strong>and</strong> a fence was run across <strong>the</strong> peninsula to limit <strong>the</strong>ir movements. Banteng are thus free to multiply <strong>and</strong> cause damage within <strong>the</strong> fenced area, but <strong>the</strong>y cannot spread. Their numbers are rising fast. In 1978 <strong>the</strong>ir population was estimated at 1 070 (Letts et al. 1979). In 1985 it was estimated at 1 500-3 500, equating to a density <strong>of</strong> about 2.5 per square kilometre. Today <strong>the</strong> population is estimated at 7 000 to 9 000 (K. Saalfield, pers. comm.), <strong>and</strong> a cull is urgently required. No culling occurs at present, but a few large bulls are shot each year by big game hunters operating under license. The traditional owners <strong>of</strong> Garig Gunak Barlu do not want a cull because <strong>the</strong> banteng are a source <strong>of</strong> income, each trophy animal returning $1000-2000 to <strong>the</strong> community. The Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory Conservation Commission has proposed a substantial cull <strong>of</strong> banteng females, which have no value to trophy hunters, but traditional owners oppose this because <strong>the</strong>y now expect to be paid for all banteng shot on <strong>the</strong>ir l<strong>and</strong> (K. Saalfield, pers. comm.). Only about 5 per cent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> banteng population is <strong>of</strong> trophy quality. If a cull is not undertaken <strong>the</strong> population will increase <strong>and</strong> damage to <strong>the</strong> national park will worsen. The need for a cull has become especially urgent since Cyclone Ingrid struck <strong>the</strong> Coburg Peninsula with great force in 2005, denuding vegetation throughout <strong>the</strong> park. Culling should be undertaken because banteng are likely to starve from lack <strong>of</strong> food, <strong>and</strong> also because <strong>the</strong>y will impede vegetation regeneration. This problem is discussed fur<strong>the</strong>r in Section 7. Banteng are one <strong>of</strong> a suite <strong>of</strong> species damaging Garig Gunak Barlu. Woinarski <strong>and</strong> Baker (2002) observed: ‘In some respects, Cobourg Peninsula is managed as a large open air menagerie, with large <strong>feral</strong> mammals being one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most conspicuous (<strong>and</strong>, for some, attractive) wildlife features <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> park. The area currently supports abundant populations <strong>of</strong> <strong>feral</strong> horse Equus cabalus, pig Sus scr<strong>of</strong>a, sambar deer Cervus unicolor, banteng Bos javanicus <strong>and</strong> water buffalo Bubalus bubalis, mostly introduced during <strong>the</strong> nineteenth century settlements.’ In South-east Asia <strong>the</strong> wild banteng is endangered, <strong>and</strong> some experts have suggested that Australia’s <strong>feral</strong> population has high conservation value (Corbett 1995, Bowman 1992). However, Australia’s banteng are descended from domesticated stock brought from Bali or Timor in 1849 (Corbett 1995, Long 2003). Within Bali, banteng are <strong>the</strong> dominant domestic cow <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> population is vast. Domesticated banteng are also present on Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, Lombok <strong>and</strong> Timor (Long 2003). If <strong>the</strong>se livestock were included in total population assessments <strong>the</strong> Banteng would not 35
Page 1: Review of<
Page 4 and 5: Contributors Andrew Norris Pest Ani
Page 6 and 7: 3.7.36 Common Myna (Acridot
Page 8 and 9: Table of figures F
Page 10 and 11: Section 2 Introduction Feral <stron
Page 12 and 13: Amanda Dimmock, QD
Page 14 and 15: Section 3 A status review o
Page 16 and 17: 3.4 Birds Thirteen (or 14) species
Page 18 and 19: Information on the
Page 20 and 21: Summary A rodent that contributes t
Page 22 and 23: Dingoes can become a threat to wild
Page 24 and 25: The significance of</strong
Page 26 and 27: macropods and b<st
Page 28 and 29: ^Lasiorhinus krefftii North
Page 30 and 31: Perceived threat Geopsittacus occid
Page 32 and 33: conservation areas. It is less clea
Page 34 and 35: Table 8 Rare species found in <stro
Page 36 and 37: Competition Several examples are re
Page 38 and 39: In truth, camels do substantial dam
Page 40 and 41: the Tanami. Buffal
Page 44 and 45: qualify under IUCN criteria as enda
Page 46 and 47: 3.7.16 Goat (Capra hircus) Summary
Page 48 and 49: Drakonorchis drakeoides Hinged Drag
Page 50 and 51: 3.7.19 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Su
Page 52 and 53: Impacts Much is known about <strong
Page 54 and 55: Distribution Ostriches have won <st
Page 56 and 57: nest in tree hollows along
Page 58 and 59: Distribution The skylark is found i
Page 60 and 61: Distribution The blackbird is wides
Page 62 and 63: Land, and<
Page 64 and 65: have been translocated to o
Page 66 and 67: esources. Significant investment in
Page 68 and 69: many native species (Clarke et al.
Page 70 and 71: spread across the
Page 72 and 73: Section 4 Legislative framework 4.1
Page 74 and 75: protection, as long as it falls wit
Page 76 and 77: Native Vegetation Conservation Act
Page 78 and 79: ehabilitate existing native vegetat
Page 80 and 81: 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
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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 102 and 103:
Summary of <strong
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Individual tracking Tracking is a l
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SA - Currently cats are not widely
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Method of control
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Aerial shooting Aerial shooting can
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Summary of <strong
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80% of export was
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ensuring effective treatment <stron
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the lower cost, wi
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5.8 Management of
Page 122 and 123:
conservation value rathe</s
Page 124 and 125:
effort on the cont
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5.9 Management of
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follow transect lines, one kilometr
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as a refuge from predators. Removal
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Summary of <strong
Page 134 and 135:
was completed it was the</s
Page 136 and 137:
warren structure amenable to recolo
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Poisons Traditionally, strychnine,
Page 140 and 141:
infected and steri
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of high priority.
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Method of control
Page 146 and 147:
5.11 Management of
Page 148 and 149:
technique can allow for cost-effect
Page 150 and 151:
Summary of <strong
Page 152 and 153:
In South Australia, between 30 <str
Page 154 and 155:
Summary of <strong
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% respondents 100% 90% 80% 70% 60%
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a) b) Figure 3. a) Extent o
Page 160 and 161:
Figure 4 Response frequency for lik
Page 162 and 163:
distribution of <s
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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
Page 182 and 183:
Lack of a Strategi
Page 184 and 185:
eradicated after seeing the
Page 186 and 187:
In some situations, payment <strong
Page 188 and 189:
could have led to better protocols
Page 190 and 191:
Game hunting is a growing business,
Page 192 and 193:
Much as we might like it, t
Page 194 and 195:
conservation outcome. In such a sit
Page 196 and 197:
community consultation and<
Page 198 and 199:
• Have the non-t
Page 200 and 201:
provide opportunities for strategic
Page 202 and 203:
Section 9 Priorities for investment
Page 204 and 205:
contacted for exact locations <stro
Page 206 and 207:
way. Achilles heel research should
Page 208 and 209:
efficient in any given situation. R
Page 210 and 211:
west Queensland re
Page 212 and 213:
Crossland, MR, 199
Page 214 and 215:
Forsyth, DM, and P
Page 216 and 217:
Lange, RT, and Gra
Page 218 and 219:
Morgan, LA and But
Page 220 and 221:
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
Page 228 and 229:
Appendix B Stakeholder survey form
Page 230 and 231:
222
Page 232 and 233:
224
Page 234 and 235:
226
Page 236 and 237:
Appendix C Database on past NHT fun
Page 238 and 239:
Lachlan Rehabilitation of</
Page 240 and 241:
Northern Territory
Page 242 and 243:
Cape York Ambiilmungu-Ngarra tradit
Page 244 and 245:
Wet Tropics Expansion and</
Page 246 and 247:
Avon Protecting and</strong
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