Lockyer Valley Oct 2013 Damien Ferguson AgForce Mob: “Coordinating groups to carry out control over the Landscape”
Vertebrate Pest Control Focus on Pigs, Wild Dogs, Foxes, Cats & Rabbits across South & South Western Qld. Goals – to reduce the impact to primary producers and biodiversity. Methods – Share knowledge, help people work together (landholders and organisations) to carry out strategic control. Lobbying by AgForce Qld results in funding for projects such as today’s Damien Ferguson (Project Coordinator) Mob: Project funded by Biosecurity Qld Gov’t
WILD DOGS
Impact of wild dogs on Queensland Grazing Industry
Pest animals cost your community income and time; This means people are busier, but earning less; The knock on effect is that people and services leave towns and rural communities; Stress caused by sleepless nights worrying about lost stock (assets), income and pets; Loss of native wildlife & biodiversity; Pest animal management is an issue for all members of the community. Impact of Pests on your community
Dog #29: Trapped & GPS Collared East of Charleville on 21/04/08. Left Charleville 24/07/08. Arrived outside Collarenebri (NSW) on 25/08/08. Shot by scientists GPS tracking it on 17/3/09. Bitch shot in same paddock 2 weeks later.
How pest animals see the landscape ….
Jan 2012 Floods Nive River between Tambo & Augathella You may not have a wild dog problem,...yet!
Recent results from 3637 wild dog DNA samples from across Australia. (Invasive Animals CRC 2012)
Is this a dog or people issue?
Importance of Pest Management Groups Community involvement in broad scale control program targeting areas where pests travel, harbour & impact; Integration of a number of control techniques across the area; Communication with all stakeholders regarding control programs and understanding of everyone’s role; Record information for the benefit of new producers or land holders to the area; Local groups to assist with dissemination of information and better on ground planning.
Basic Mapping Information: Defining working group areas Capturing dog events: Dogs seen/trapped/shot/tracks/dens Knowledge based data [dog corridors] Digital data (data loggers) Baiting data: Indicating properties involved Indicating where baits are placed on properties
FERAL PIGS
Costs….. 5 mixed farming enterprises Near Duaringa in central Qld Cropping area of 105,000 acres Spend over $30,000 each year to heli shoot and trap >2,500 pigs per year Crop losses are reduced from a conservative $600,000 plus, to approx $80,000!! 1 pig = approx $400 + in grain losses
Costs….. Pigs will therefore greatly effect lambing rates Leading sheep producer near Cunnamulla 2011 wet weather – not able do annual feral pig baiting Lambing rate went from 125% to 90%. 1 adult pig can eat 5 plus lambs per DAY
Costs….. Pigs will also root up the ground underneath trees stops mechanical nut pick – lots of time and effort to fix 1 adult pig can eat $65 - $75 of macadamias per night Suncoast Macadamias Oct 2013
Some other issues… Biodiversity loss – Pigs destroy the habitat of many native animals and ground dwelling/breeding birds. Pigs spoil livestock watering points. Studies showed that a pig will eat hundreds of burrowing frogs. No toads though!!
ABC Rural (17 Oct 2012)
Controls All of the above have a place, Better results when many techniques are combined (Best Practice), Best results when landholders coordinate across a landscape. Trapping Ground shooting Meat/Grain Baiting Piggin’ Fencing Aerial shooting CSSP
RABBITS……. Are on the comeback!
The End Damien Ferguson (Project Coordinator) Mob: