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

Fencing
Feral buffalo have a reputation for breaking conventional fences. The tendency is to
go through or under, ra<strong>the</strong>r than over <strong>the</strong> obstacle. Electric fencing has been used to
successfully exclude <strong>feral</strong> buffalo in parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory, however
environmental conditions, such as flooding, may quickly damage or destroy such
fences. They are really only practical for use as a short term control option.
Judas buffalo
The gregarious nature <strong>of</strong> buffalo lend <strong>the</strong>m to being ideal c<strong>and</strong>idates for <strong>the</strong> ‘Judas’
approach. Captured <strong>animals</strong> can be fitted with robust radio-collars <strong>and</strong> released. The
animal <strong>the</strong>n rejoins <strong>the</strong> herd with <strong>the</strong> radio-collar highlighting <strong>the</strong>ir location. This may
be a useful follow-up strategy after mustering <strong>and</strong> aerial culling, to detect <strong>and</strong> destroy
small remnant herds in highly valued conservation areas.
Biological control
One possibility for biological control is <strong>the</strong> introduction <strong>of</strong> a round worm that is
known to destroy up to 30 percent <strong>of</strong> new buffalo calves in Asia. The worm is passed
from <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r to <strong>the</strong> calf via her milk <strong>and</strong> resides in <strong>the</strong> calf’s intestine causing
disturbances, which in severe cases result in death. The worm is already present in <strong>the</strong>
cattle population in New South Wales, but is not known if this would be an effective
means <strong>of</strong> buffalo control for <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory (Freel<strong>and</strong> 1992).
Current control efforts
NT - Little <strong>management</strong> effort is currently invested in buffalo. In national parks aerial
culling occasionally occurs when numbers are high, however little <strong>of</strong>f-reserve
control occurs. Most <strong>of</strong>f-reserve control is based on problem animal
<strong>management</strong> <strong>and</strong> is conducted by <strong>the</strong> Parks <strong>and</strong> Wildlife Comission at <strong>the</strong>
bequest <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong> managers. Small scale commercial mustering <strong>and</strong> safari hunting
both occur in <strong>the</strong> Arnhem L<strong>and</strong> region.
QLD - Currently no control occurs
WA - Currently no control occurs except for <strong>the</strong> shooting <strong>of</strong> an occasional problem
animal
Management <strong>of</strong> buffalo in <strong>the</strong> Rangel<strong>and</strong>s
Water buffalo numbers are rising rapidly following <strong>the</strong> BTEC cull in <strong>the</strong> 1980s <strong>and</strong>
this is a matter <strong>of</strong> grave concern (see Section 6). Management actions should be
applied now to maintain low buffalo densities, instead <strong>of</strong> waiting until numbers rise
<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> control increases substantially. Aerial culling is by far <strong>the</strong> most
effective method to control <strong>the</strong> buffalo in remote regions. Mustering could be used
prior to culling in more accessible areas to help partially <strong>of</strong>fset <strong>the</strong> control costs. Judas
buffalo could be used to help locate herds <strong>and</strong> reduce searching times from
helicopters.
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