Australia is host to 56 invasive vertebrate animal
species. Of these, the ones with the most impact (in
order of damage estimates) are: European Red Fox, feral cats,
rabbits, feral pigs, wild dogs, the house mouse, carp, goats, cane
toads, wild horses and camels.
Foxes cost the Australian economy over $200M annually - a large
part of this in environmental terms. Rabbits are estimated to
cost our agricultural industries around $113M and feral pigs $106M
every year, and stock losses to wild dogs is so severe in some
areas as to make production non-viable. Altogether, it
is estimated that invasive animals cost Australasia at least $720M
annually in economic, environmental and social damage.
A new offensive against vertebrate pests
The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC) was
funded by the Commonwealth Government in the 2004 CRC Selection
Round and builds on the strong foundation provided by the previous
Pest Animal Control CRC. The centre aims to counteract the impact
of invasive animals through the development and application of new
technologies and by integrating approaches across agencies and
jurisdictions. It is the first time that research, industry,
environmental, commercial and government agencies will work
together to create and apply solutions for invasive animal threats.
The centre was officially launched by Senator Ian Macdonald,
Australian Government Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and
Conservation in August 2005.
In the context of the CRC, 'invasives' refers to
terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates, including overabundant
natives. The Invasive Animals CRC key objectives are to:
Develop new tools and strategies to control invasive
animals (including birds and freshwater fish).
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Develop new services and remove impediments to empower
communities to take greater and more effective action against
invasive animals.
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Advance understanding of the nature and behaviour of
Australasias invasive animals to maximise delivery from the above
objectives.
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Provide partners with mechanisms for national and
international business collaboration, to facilitate route to market
for products and services.
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Build greater capacity to anticipate, detect, prevent,
limit or manage the impacts of existing or new invasive
animals.
A total of 41 organisations are participating in the
Invasive Animals CRC, as either core or supporting partners. The
total comprises 36 Australian government agencies, industry bodies
and small-medium enterprises, as well as seven international
organisations from New Zealand, Britain and the USA.
By combining national and international skills in science,
management, commerce and industry, this unique partnership aims
to deliver the means to combat existing high profile invasive
animal pests as well as those that have the potential to cause
catastrophic impacts in the future.
The Invasive Animals CRC is structured around six central
programs:
Program Leader, Glen Saunders. Bait and toxin development,
fertility control, emerging solutions such as attractants and
molecular techniques.
Program Leader, Wayne Fulton. Daughterless technologies,
biocides, pheromone trapping, environmental
manipulation.
Program Leader, Elaine Murphy. Improved risk management,
early warning systems, national action plans, bio-economics,
ecological solutions, decision support systems
Program Leader, Steve Lapidge. Demonstration sites,
community dialogue, commercialisation, IA CRC Offshore.
Program Leader, Stephen Sarre. Postgraduate and honours
programs, community engagement, practitioner training, researcher
skills.
Business and Client Services
Program Leader, Andreas Glanznig. Governance,
communications, administration.
The CRC model provides a way to draw together the critical mass
required to make a real difference in vertebrate pest management.
Outcomes will help solve the prominent and costly impacts of
invasive species on agricultural, environmental and social values.
The Invasive Animals CRC creates a continuum of stakeholders from
perception of a problem, through R&D to marketing, distribution
and on-ground application.
