Dear ,
Welcome to issue 186 of Feral Flyer.
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FoxScan now online!
Foxes are the latest species to get the FeralScan Citizen Science treatment. Launched on April 4, FoxScan is a community mapping tool that allows anyone to map sightings of foxes and any damage they are causing anywhere in Australia.
Whether you are a landholder, community group, landcare group, or local council, FoxScan can help you map foxes in your area, connect you with others and help you access information and resources to better manage foxes and the problems they cause.
FoxScan provides a map-printing facility so you can create a map of your area, a photo uploading gallery for your photos, and a number of online resources to help you identify and access resources to help with the management of foxes in your area. FoxScan also provides a feedback form so you can provide advice directly back to the FoxScan project team.
RabbitScan, the first tool to be rolled out under the FeralScan project, has been running for over two months now and already has mapping data for over 4000 sites across Australia. Mapping tools for camels, feral pigs, wild dogs and myna birds are set to follow.
More information:
- FoxScan website: http://www.feralscan.org.au/foxscan/
- RabbitScan websitehttp://www.feralscan.org.au/rabbitscan/
National spotlight turns to wild dogs prowling peri-urban areas
Land managers from across Australia gathered in Brisbane last week to bite back at wild dogs, with state farm groups, industry bodies and researchers all playing their part to reduce the impact these predators have on livestock, the environment and community.
The three-day National Wild Dog Management Advisory Group (NWDMAG) bi-annual meeting kicked off with an insight into the impact of wild dogs in peri-urban areas, including an inspection of locations in the Moreton Bay Regional Council area where wild dogs have been reported.
South west Queensland grazier Peter Lucas, who represents Queensland on the advisory group, said all stakeholders were alarmed at the extent of the wild dog problem within peri-urban areas in Queensland, which is symptomatic of the growing national wild dog threat.
Link: Full media release from AgForce QLD
Positions Vacant – IA CRC & partner organisations
Program Coordinator – Nine month maternity leave position
$50,408 – $54,001 FTE + 9% super
Location: Invasive Animals CRC, Adelaide office (Unley)
We seek an enthusiastic individual to provide administrative support to staff of the IA CRC’s Uptake of Products and Strategies Program. Tasks include acting as the first point of contact for inquiries from the general public and other visitors, performing a range of general clerical/administrative duties, tracking the performance of research projects and assisting in the preparation of research reports and arranging travel. The successful applicant will be practical, flexible and able to work with limited direction.
The position is full time for a term of 9 months and employment will go through the University of Canberra.
For the position description and selection criteria, please see: http://www.invasiveanimals.com/about-us/corporate/employment/. Contact Steve Lapidge on (08) 8357 1222 or steven.lapidge@invasiveanimals.com for further information.
Postdoctoral Fellow in Ecological Modelling
Salary: $80,217 + 17% superannuation. 3 year appointment
Location: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra
The University of Canberra is seeking a dynamic, innovative person to conduct research in Ecological modelling based on population genetic data.
The appointee will be required to program agent-based models for population dynamics of invasive and endangered animal species to simulate population genetic data.
Using the method of Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) the simulated data will be compared to real data sets to estimate population parameters from genetic data such as growth rates and dispersal patterns. The initial focus of the work will be on modelling the invasion of foxes into Tasmania. A primary requirement of the applicant will be profound computer programming knowledge, preferable in R and/or C++. Copies of the relevant research proposal leading to the funding of this project are available on request.
The appointee will work within a team of highly motivated academics, postdoctoral fellows and lab technician in a very friendly working environment.
Closing date for this position is 13 May 2011.
For further information about this position please refer to the University website http://www.canberra.edu.au/hr/jobs (position number 11/2059) or contact: Assistant Professor Bernd Gruber (bernd.gruber@canberra.edu.au) +61 6206 3804.
Principal Policy Officer, Invasive Animals
Closing Date: 17-Apr-2011
Location: Department of Primary Industries, VIC. Melbourne.
The Department of Primary Industries, Biosecurity Victoria is seeking a highly motivated individual who will be working in close collaboration with the Invasive Plants and Animals Branch (IPAB) your role will will lead a team responsible for the development of policy, strategy and legislative approaches relating to the management of invasive animals.
Your role is to contribute to invasive plant and animal legislation projects and respond in a flexible way to short-term policy on invasive animal biosecurity issues, including providing policy analysis and advice to senior management and Government.
Critical to this role will be excellent communication and negotiation skills. You will be expected to be able to work effectively and independently at senior levels of government, with Ministers and Members of Parliament and with industry and community leaders.
For more information see http://jobs.careers.vic.gov.au
Minimising the risk of promoting new pests and weeds
The Rural Industries R&D Corporation (RIRDC) has announced that Dr Rob Keogh will undertake a Corporation–funded project to develop a risk assessment framework to inform of potential threats associated with proposed new animal- and plant-based production activities in Australia.
It is intended that the framework be consistent with those in use by other sectoral agencies, and that it be considered when determining suitability of proposed activities for Corporation funding. In doing so, RIRDC’s activities will aim to be consistent with those aspects of the Australian Pest Animal Strategy (www.apas.net.au) and the Australian Weeds Strategy (www.weeds.gov.au) designed to minimise the unintended introduction and spread of invasive species.
IA CRC Balanced Scientist Program: Carla Meurk
IA CRC PhD student Carla Meurk recently submitted her PhD thesis titled ‘Loving Nature, Killing Nature, and the Crises of Caring: An anthropological investigation of conflicts affecting feral pig management in Queensland, Australia’. Based in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Queensland, Carla’s project sought to unravel the diverse factors influencing conflicts over feral pig management in the Wet Tropics.
Carla benefited from the IA CRC’s Balanced Scientist program as it enabled her to learn about and be engaged with scientific work taking place around Australia.
“The experiences of attending workshops and program reviews afforded me a unique opportunity and ensured I was constantly challenged to balance the views and aspirations of social scientists with the practicalities identified by pest management research,” Carla said of her time in the program.
Carla is moving ahead post-PhD and recently spent two months in New Zealand’s sub-antarctic Campbell Island where she began a new project. Engaging with the scientists and tourists that visited this otherwise uninhabited island, she is examining how photographic images and ideas of environments traverse social and digital networks and how these phenomena affect the development of concerns for environments. The picture shows Carla on Campbell Island in 60+ knot winds.
Links:
- Carla’s blog on Campbell Island: www.50south.org.nz/campbell-island/the_journey/research-area/6
- Profile on IA CRC website: www.invasiveanimals.com/about-us/people/students/carla-meurk/
Of floods and ferals
The land of drought and flooding rains has again lived up to its name.
Across the continent, with the higher than usual rainfall comes the promise of a boom in productivity. Swollen rivers and lakes bring on an explosion of colour and life as wildflowers bloom, native grasses thrive, and wildlife multiplies. These species are those that have survived the wait. They have built up resilience to the cycles of ‘boom and bust’: they know how to live with very few resources and are able to seize the opportunity to breed when favourable conditions arrive.
But native species aren’t the only ones that have adapted to respond and quickly take advantage of a change in conditions. Pest animals, particularly those that rely heavily on pasture such as feral pigs and rabbits, tend to do very well in the months and years following high rainfall events.
Steve Lapidge of the Invasive Animals CRC says wild pig populations, which exploded in western NSW after the Bourke floods in 2010, are now predicted to rise in Queensland. He says mice are also an emerging problem due to changing conditions, particularly for southern states.
Link: Read the full article in the latest NRM Notes newsletter: www.invasiveanimals.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NRM-Notes-Issue5-Mar2011.pdf
Vertebrate Pest Control: Decision Support System
The decision support system (DSS) aims to help New Zealanders, from novices to experts, select the most appropriate options for controlling vertebrate pests in a particular locality.
Using your answers to a series of questions about the control operation you want to undertake, the DSS systematically evaluates the potential constraints that may be operating in the area, and provides you with ‘best practice’ advice and other information about the recommended options. Presently the DSS covers five common pests: feral cat, ferret, brushtail possum, rat, and stoat.
Link: http://pestdss.landcareresearch.co.nz/
AMRRIC welcomes $2.89million boost to animal management in NT
Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC) today welcomes $2.89million funding from the Northern Territory Aboriginal Benefit Account (ABA) to boost dog health and management in Indigenous communities of the Northern Territory.
The community enhancement grant from the ABA will go towards implementing a sustainable animal management worker program (the Project) in four Shires of the Northern Territory: East Arnhem, West Arnhem, MacDonnell and Tiwi Islands. The Project will run for three years and will create ten new positions.
“This is the first time in the Northern Territory that an AMRRIC styled animal management program has been funded on this scale. We are thrilled that a forward thinking government, ABA and Shires have put their support and trust in AMRRIC to deliver the Project by recognising the value of empowering local Aboriginal people in dealing with the complex issues of dog management in remote Indigenous communities,” said Dr Ted Donelan, President AMRRIC.
More information and to read the full media release: http://www.amrric.org/.
Native Southern Ningaui not to be mistaken with common house mice
With greater sightings of mice predicted for coming months, the SA Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is urging the general public to keep an eye out for native mouse-looking marsupials.
“We would like the public to watch out for mice around their homes or caught in traps to ensure native species aren’t mistaken for common house mice,” said DENR senior ranger Rebecca Pudney.
“Ningauis are carnivorous marsupials that eat small lizards and insects, they are not rodents, and are considered rare Australia-wide, though they are fairly common in some parts of the Mallee.”
Photo courtesy of DENR.
More information: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/Home/Full_newsevents_listing/News_Events_Listing/110324-SouthernNingaui
Conference updates
CRCA 2011: Keeping ahead of the curve.
Full program is now available on the website. See http://crca.asn.au/conference/program.html.
BIOLIEF 2011 – 2nd World Conference on Biological Invasions and Ecosystem Functioning.
Submissions of abstracts for oral and poster presentations at BIOLIEF 2011 are now invited. The meeting will be held November 21-24, 2011, in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Abstracts that address the impact of biological invasions on ecosystem functioning are especially encouraged, but submissions may address any aspect of the biology, ecology and management of invasive species. Please adhere to the guidelines in www.grieta.org.ar/biolief/instructions.htm when preparing and submitting your abstract.
New Publications
NRM Notes
The March issue of NRM Notes is now available online. This newsletter focuses on invasive animal management within NRMs and at the regional scale.
See http://www.invasiveanimals.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NRM-Notes-Issue5-Mar2011.pdf
This issue includes topics such as:
- FeralScan- citizen science launched
- Researching RHD – dead rabbits required
- Pest Tales, a primary school teaching resource
- PestSmart Toolkits update
- Monitoring invasive species, why it is so important
- Floods and Ferals, special feature article
- Importance of group baiting for better outcomes
Scientific Papers
Carlson, J.C. et. al. (2011) The role of starlings in the spread of Salmonella within concentrated animal feeding operations. Journal of Applied Ecology, 48 (2): 479-486
Media round-up
Feral camels on the menu
FERAL camels will be exported as fine cuisine under a $20 million plan for Port Pirie abattoir. [ More ]
Website tracks fox numbers
Co-ordinated fox baiting programs with their neighbours could increase lamb survival rates by up to 20 per cent. [ More ]
Three new weapons against wild dogs
The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre say alternatives to 1080 baits to control wild dogs may be on the market by the end of the year. [ More ]
E-tagged ‘Judas’ carp track fish for commercial fisheries
‘Judas’ carp are being used to locate their mates in an innovative project taking place in Western NSW, which aims to give commercial fishers a better idea of where carp aggregate to maximise their catch. [ More ]
O’Farrell slices up land care control
THE NSW Environment Department will be abolished and its responsibilities swallowed up by the Premier’s Department in a move criticised as the start of an ”anti-conservation crusade” by the new Coalition government. [ More ]
Action needed on wild dog control
The Victorian Farmers Federation’s (VFF) Livestock Group convened a meeting with the Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh this week to discuss the progress being made on the State Government’s election commitment on wild dog control measures. [ More ]
Byron bid to control wild dogs
A PRIVATE trapper from Byron Shire has had great success in eradicating wild dogs in the region, catching 10 in the past three weeks. [ More ]
Grains industry fears for research funding
The grains industry is lobbying government at the moment, worried it’s going to be exposed to dangerous exotic pests and diseases because of a research funding decision. [ More ]
Controlling wild dogs around Yass and the ACT
A new regional wild dog control program has been expanded to include the Australian Capital Territory. [ More ]
Wild dog problem crosses borders
The national spotlight was on wild dogs in Brisbane last week at a three day meeting held to address the problem. [ More ]
National wild dog meeting
EAST Gippsland farmer Alan Brown will attend a national wild dog meeting this week to prepare for the Baillieu government’s aerial bating program. [ More ]
New poison welcomed
West Coast anti-1080 campaigners and the SPCA say the Department of Conservation’s development of a new poison for controlling feral cats and stoats appears to be a step in the right direction of the creation of a humane, species-specific toxin for pest control. [ More ]
Action needed on wild dogs
BETTER co-operation between the Victorian Government and private landholders is needed to curb the state’s wild dog population. [ More ]
Researchers study fox eating habits
NEW research has shown sheep make up the biggest part of a fox’s diet, but they also have a liking for mulberries and figs. [ More ]
IA CRC in the news
A selection of current media articles directly related to the IA CRC is available here. You can subscribe to receive updates directly to your email inbox or mobile phone, or save as a favourite page in your web browser and view at your convenience. This feed can also be provided to third parties without the risk of copyright breach.
Upcoming conferences
For more information on these and other events, please see details on our website.
2011
- 14th Wildlife Damage Management Conference. Nebraska City, USA, 17-22 April.
- Invasive Species in a Globalized World. University of Chicago, USA, 11-13 May.
- CRCA 2011: Keeping Ahead of the Curve. Brisbane, QLD, 17-19 May.
- International Urban Wildlife Management and Planning Conference, Austin, Texas, USA. 22-25 May.
- 15th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference. Sydney, Australia, 20-23 June.
- 4th Biennial Australian Animal Studies Group Conference. Brisbane, QLD. 10-13 July.
- 8th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference. Berlin, Germany 26-30 September.
- 38th Natural Areas Conference: Adaptation and protection of biodiversity in a changing world. Tallahassee, Florida, USA, 1-4 November 2011.
- Ecological Society of Australia annual conference. Hobart, Tasmania. 21-25 November.
- Biolief: Biological Invasions and Ecosystem Functioning. Mar del Plata, Argentina, 21-24 November.
- International Congress for Conservation Biology. Auckland, New Zealand 5-9 December.
