Invasive species

Health authorities are encouraging all Cape York residents involved in pig-hunting to take advantage of the free vaccination program for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) ... there was heightened awareness of JEV on Cape York following the detection of the virus in some feral pigs in an area north of the Skardon River in June, and a further detection in pigs in the Mapoon area in September.

Steamy conditions made life tough for participants in the Hope Vale Pig Hunt on the weekend, as more than 100 people took part in the 19th annual event. Hunters weighed in 38 pigs, with an average weight of 49kg.

The Mary Valley wetlands will undergo a new round of monitoring as an ongoing record of how the area is faring following works carried out on Country ... This month, Cape York project officer Ben Ansell visited one of the wetland sites with Traditional Owner Ashley Lyall to determine the percentage of feral cattle footprints, pig damage and live vegetation cover in the area.

The NSW Northern Tablelands boasts some of the most rugged terrain in the state but is kicking goals when it comes to community and landholder engagement in a nil-tenure approach to wild dog control ... A total of 40 wild dog management plans have been developed across 3 million hectares – up from 2.5 million in 2019 – involving 2500 landholders committed to a shared vision.

Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the Feral Deer Management Strategy 2022-27 would help build capacity to control feral deer. “Feral deer numbers across Queensland are growing and pose an increasing threat to biodiversity, agriculture and public safety,” Mr Furner said.

“Construction on 24 kilometres of specially-designed predator-free fencing will begin in December. Once complete, we’ll start working to eradicate every feral predator from within it, before releasing locally extinct and threatened species that were once abundant back into Nungatta": Minister for Environment James Griffin.

An aerial cull of feral deer on the Fleurieu Peninsula culled more than 1000 deer from forests, farms and private conservation properties in September 2022 ... Aerial culling is the most effective landscape-scale tool currently available for rapidly reducing the impacts of feral deer.

Managing wild dogs is not easy work with community engagement simply not about the deployment of tools into the landscape by the people whose assets are threatened by incursions. According to Western Australian landholder Debbie Dowden, it requires human action, which means working within the complex dynamics of human nature.

South Australian pastoralists inside the Dog Fence will continue to benefit from the services of wild dog trappers, with funding for the trapper program guaranteed for the next four years ... The wild dog trapping program is open to landowners or managers inside the Dog Fence who have baited and still experience impacts from wild dog attacks.

The capability of scientists investigating solutions to Australia’s invasive pest problems shone out at the Australian Academy of Science’s Shine Dome in Canberra earlier this month at an event hosted by the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions ... “Graduates of our Balanced Researcher Program are now adding to Australia’s biosecurity and invasive species research and innovation within the government and university sectors...": Andreas Glanznig, Chief Executive, CISS.

Two South-East Queensland councils are joining forces in their fight against Fireweed, as the invasive pest carpets their regions. Adding to the regular treatments to the councils’ roads and reserves, Somerset Regional Council and Lockyer Valley Regional Council are banding together, actively encouraging landholders to identify and treat Fireweed on their property to reduce its spread.

Suzie Christensen. Meet Willow, the newest potential recruit to the LHIB’s Biosecurity detection dog team. Arriving on island from Perth at 13 weeks old, this little Cocker Spaniel is being evaluated for her suitability to island life, and if all goes well she will begin her training in detecting invasive species.

Lee Mead. Over the past 16 years, the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group has achieved remarkable success in increasing knowledge about wheel cactus in our local area, and how to keep the problem under control. Now, in this new era of change, the TCCG Committee has decided to plan some different approaches and objectives for our future.

More than 19,500 feral pigs have been culled in seven months through targeted aerial shooting operations run by the NSW Government ... “There is a definite concern that if FMD was to enter our country, it could be spread through feral pig populations across NSW,”: Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders

Holly Fern found at the Lower Road. Holly Fern Cyrtomium falcatum is an exotic introduction to LHI. It is a fast-growing fern that produces high spore load, propagates easily and loves rock face nooks and crannies. It is targeted for eradication on LHI.

The latest State of the Environment Report paints a dire picture for the ongoing survival of Australia’s threatened species under ever increasing pressure from feral animals and weeds ... “Invasive species are the common denominator: foxes and feral cats fuelled by rabbits are the major driver of mammal extinctions while foreign plants are a source of major weed problems impacting landscapes throughout Australia. :Andreas Glanznig, Chief Executive of the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions.

Following the release of the State of the Environment report, the peak national organisation representing over 1,000 forest scientists and professionals in Australia has joined in supporting Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek’s calls for more reform in the area of environmental law ... “The current approaches to management of Australia’s forests are not working – we believe we need to reform our philosophy of land management, our approach to conservation and how we manage our forests,” Forestry Australia President Bob Gordon.

Lee Mead. A group of 15 tertiary students from Monash University came to the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group field day yesterday, to help us in the war on Wheel Cactus. The event was held in the Maldon Historic Reserve, at the back of the Mount, where they thoroughly enjoyed the natural landscapes and local views.

A recent CSIRO study has found that Australians are more likely to support the use of gene drive technology for feral cat management if there was a perceived problem of invasive species in one’s local neighbourhood ... "Feral cats are an ideal candidate for gene drive research given that their reproductive rates are up to three litters a year, which greatly outpaces conventional measures" : Dr Owain Edwards.

The region’s landscape board is hoping to minimise the feral deer population with the help of a cash injection from the Federal Government. The Limestone Coast Landscape Board (LCLB) has received $344,000 to build on its existing deer control initiatives through the Supporting Communities Manage Pests and Weeds program.

Geoff Helisma. The North Coast LLS’s invasive pests, team leader operations, Dean Chamberlain, said he had not received any recent reports about feral pig sightings in and around Iluka ... “We know from past experience that these pigs are usually moving in and out of the national park, so we work in coordination with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Clarence Valley Council. However, nothing happens if no one tells us; otherwise, we are just sitting in the dark – we need to know so we can take some action.”