Feral animal impacts and management in Australia
The impacts of feral animals include:
- competition with livestock and wildlife for resources (food, water, shelter, breeding sites)
- predation on stock and native wildlife
- damage to grain and horticultural crops
- soil disturbance and general land degradation
- damage to fences and water sources, and
- biosecurity risk for potential transmission of diseases to livestock and wildlife.
Developments over the last few decades have changed the way in which Australian land management in general, and pest animal management in particular, are best considered. These include:
- recognition that land systems should be managed as a whole and that all factors influencing agricultural production and/or biodiversity should be considered when developing a management plan rather than focussing on issues in isolation. This is essential as many land management issues are interrelated and the approach also allows prioritisation of issues
- the need to manage land degradation and biodiversity issues at the regional or catchment scale as many of these issues are not confined within individual properties. This requires the active participation of a wide range of individuals and groups which may include farmers, national park or state forest managers and water catchment authorities
- recognition of the need to manage actual rather than perceived impacts - for example, the mere presence of a pest animal does not necessarily mean that significant agricultural or environmental damage is being caused. Hence it is important to monitor damage rather than just pest numbers. Likewise, if a control program is undertaken, it is important to monitor improvements in terms of reduced impact, rather than just decreased numbers of the pest
- frequent drought events and other challenging environmental conditions make cost-effective reduction in pest animal impact more critical
- the reliance of many native plant and animal communities on fragmented habitat remnants which make them more vulnerable to a range of impacts including pest animals. Conservation of much of Australia's biodiversity now depends on management of wildlife outside reserves, often on private land - hence the need for effective pest management in these areas for both agricultural production and environmental objectives.
The Australian Pest Animal Management Program (APAMP) funds research and extension projects to develop and promote more effective pest management.
Principles and strategies of pest animal management
Risk assessment model for the import and keeping of exotic vertebrates in Australia
Myths and misconceptions about pest animal impact and management
Last reviewed: 26 Sep 2008
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