Invasive Animals

An emerging issue of major concern is the verification of the presence of foxes in Tasmania. Until recently, all accidental or intentional introductions of foxes (including one in 1864, another in 1890, one in 1910 and one caught in a trap near Launceston in 1972) have not resulted in successful establishment.  A team of experts has now determined that an unknown number of foxes have been deliberately and/or accidentally introduced to Tasmania since 1998 and that some of these and possibly their progeny are still living in the wild.

Because of its previous freedom from these animals, Tasmania is one of our last refuges of many small ground-dwelling mammals, including the Eastern Barred Bandicoot, Southern Brown Bandicoot, New Holland Mouse, Broad-toothed Rat, White-footed Dunnart, Tasmanian Bettong, Long-nosed Potoroo and Spotted-tail Quoll. All these species are either threatened or locally rare. There are also many ground dwelling/nesting birds (also classed as locally rare) in Tasmania.  Threatened species include the Orange-bellied Parrot, which is critically endangered on the mainland, the Night Parrot (endangered) and the Fairy and Little Terns. Other species which are listed in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 with foxes as a 'key threatening process' include the Greater Bilby, the Black-footed Rock Wallaby, the Djoongari, Burrowing Bettong, Rufous Hare Wallaby and the Malleefowl. Tasmania also has several threatened lizards and the Green and Gold frog.

It is therefore vitally important that a concerted effort is made to eradicate foxes entirely in Tasmania. The Invasive Animals CRC has sponsored an investigation and report Foxes in Tasmania: a report of an Incursion by an Invasive Species (2006) and is supporting genetic testing of samples of scats to help identify the presence of foxes in an area. A large-scale baiting program is set to be undertaken by the Tasmanian government and this work will assist in providing information with which to target the effort.

There is increasing evidence that Australia will continue to see further species become a significant problem. Reports of extensive camel damage are now common in Central Australia.   Feral goats, horses, various invasive fish,

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) estimates that between 100,000 and 500,000 hectares of grain crops are affected by rodents each year, and that a major mouse plague now would cost over $150m in lost production. The social impact can also be quite severe, with homes completely overrun, water fouled, wood, plaster, paper and plastic consumed.

As if all that was not enough, New Zealand (and parts of Australia) have problems with possums and the starling and myna birds are emerging as new contenders.   Even our native kangaroos can reach population levels that cause economic and environmental damage.

Because of varying concerns and attitudes towards invasive animal management, the preparation of management plans to address these issues can often be problematical and require an extensive, expensive and time-consuming consultation process. It is vitally important that Australia be prepared with humane, target-specific, cost-effective and safe means of keeping populations of invasive species under control. A national Australian Pest Animal Strategy has just been agreed, we have a new Australian Animal Welfare Strategy, and Standard Operating Procedures and Codes of Practice are continually being refined to address this.

The Invasive Animals CRC's goal is therefore to find ways to reduce numbers of these pest animals to help restore native biodiversity and reduce losses in the agricultural industries.  Our aim is to develop tools that are longer-lasting, more effective and humane, and implement strategies that assist land managers to more effectively control their pest species.