Aerial shooting of feral donkeys from a helicopter is used for large scale population reductions in remote and/or  inaccessible areas.

This standard operating procedure (SOP) is a guide only; it does not replace or override the legislation that applies in the relevant State or Territory jurisdiction. The SOP should only be used subject to the applicable legal requirements (including OH&S) operating in the relevant jurisdiction.

Ground shooting is best suited to accessible and relatively flat areas where there are low numbers of problem donkeys. It is also used for euthanasia of sick or injured donkeys. It involves the shooter approaching a group of donkeys on foot with the intention of culling all the animals in the group.

This standard operating procedure (SOP) is a guide only; it does not replace or override the legislation that applies in the relevant State or Territory jurisdiction. The SOP should only be used subject to the applicable legal requirements (including OH&S) operating in the relevant jurisdiction.

Eradicating feral goats from island ecosystems is important to prevent extinctions and restore ecosystem function. For eradication to succeed, detecting and removing fragmented herds at low densities is essential
during the final stages of control. The Judas goat technique can help detect these remaining goats.

Factsheet on the judas goat technique. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

In 2006, a trial program to eradicate feral goats from Kangaroo Island began.  This case study describes the seven-year control program, which is now Australia’s largest island feral goat eradication program. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

With funding from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) through the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC), CSIRO has been developing alternative and potentially more powerful means of controlling carp, by breeding into a carp population a mechanism that reduces the number of females and so radically reduces carp numbers within a few generations. This is the basis for ‘daughterless technology’.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Case study of the effectiveness of the new feral pig bait HOGGONE® during national product registration trails in  Goondiwindi, southwest Queensland. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Once again, there is increasing reliance on mechanical and chemical rabbit control methods such as poisoning, warren ripping and fumigation not only for crop and pasture protection but also for conservation purposes. It is now generally acknowledged that even at low rabbit densities (fewer than 0.5 rabbits per hectare) the regeneration of the most palatable native shrubs and trees can be prevented. Wider landscape-scale rabbit control is needed, rather than the previous approaches that focused heavily on benefits to agriculture alone. This is particularly so in mallee-farming areas, where rabbits live mainly among relict natural vegetation on roadsides but obtain much of their food from adjacent crops and pastures.

Methods for removing rabbits are generally well researched and, if used together at the right time of year, can effectively control rabbits. New tools are also available, including a wide assortment of machines, such as log skidders and backhoes, which can be used for warren and rabbit harbour destruction while minimising damage to native vegetation.

Few land managers have the skills necessary to recognise rabbit impact on natural vegetation, and so educational material to help assess rabbit damage has been produced. This will help develop a properly integrated landscape approach to rabbit control. Nonetheless, future work also needs to include proper planning of human resources and budgets to overcome current inefficiencies in rabbit control and to control the animal on a wider scale. Tools such as economic decision models are proving useful in establishing a framework for implementing rabbit control programs and assessing progress. Such tools reinforce the need to use integrated rabbit control methods. That is, after rabbit numbers become at low ebb myxomatosis and RHD have taken their toll, we need to use poisoning, warren ripping and fumigation in sequence during summer and autumn. This is when rabbits are more likely to take bait because pasture quality is poor.

The concepts developed and issues raised in this report are important factors to consider in developing wider community-based rabbit control programs within the framework of natural resource management boards and their equivalents.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Despite rabbits having been kept low for some years by Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease, a survey of remnant vegetation at 220 sites adjacent to farmlands in south-eastern Australia indicated that rabbits were present in 54% of sites visited and were causing noticeable vegetation damage in 26% of sites (i.e. about half the infested sites). Rabbits are more widespread in south-eastern South Australia, western Victoria and Tasmania than in eastern Victoria, New South Wales and  south-east Queensland.

A major result from this survey is that low numbers of rabbits (1 – 2/ha) are capable of removing all seedlings of the more palatable native tree and shrubs and exacerbating weed competition with native flora. However, most land managers are not aware that a problem exists except where acute rabbit damage is observed.

Data obtained during the survey have been used to develop and calibrate rapid methods for scoring rabbit abundance and vegetation damage. This has enabled development of an assessment tool that land managers can use to quickly reach a decision on actions necessary for reducing rabbits and maintaining biodiversity. It is applicable for native vegetation on roadsides, reserves and natural shrub-lands used for pasture. The method has been tested using Landcare groups, farmers and government agency staff and progressively improved to increase its robustness and practicality.

A report complied for Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia as part of the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre Project 7.T. 6 – Biodiversity Impact of Rabbits.

The impact of the virus on wild rabbit populations is strongly influenced by climatic factors such as rainfall and temperature, no doubt because these influence rabbit breeding and general population dynamics as well as the behaviour and abundance of insects that transmit the virus. Analytical models comparing epidemiology in temperate and semi-arid parts of Australia confirm that there are large differences in the timing, intensity and impact of disease spread.

Epidemiological studies within Australia have been carefully reviewed and compared with similar studies from New Zealand and Europe. However, despite common patterns emerging, better predictive models are still needed to provide a regional overview and for planning Australia-wide strategies if, as new evidence suggests, rabbits are beginning to  develop genetic resistance to infection with RHDV. In the short term it is important to establish whether the virus is also changing and maintaining its infectivity. If this is the case, RHD will remain a useful biological control agent well into the future although, like myxomatosis, may not maintain levels of rabbit control adequate to avoid all environmental and economic impacts.

The introduction of RHDV brought high environmental, economic and social benefits, justifying its release, but land mangers now need to be aware that additional rabbit control effort is required to keep rabbits at the low levels seen in the last few years. Generally this is best achieved by using well-established methods such as poisoning and warren ripping to capitalize of the presence of RHD. Prospects for initiating new, effective outbreaks of the disease are limited because the virus circulates naturally and is widespread.

Resistance to RHDV infection may help to explain recent increases in rabbits in inland Victoria and South Australia and has implications for future rabbit control. Nevertheless, there is also a case to argue that RHDV has co-evolved to at least partly off-set the changes in rabbit resistance; wide-spread outbreaks of RHDV are still regularly observed in areas where  resistance is high.

In practical terms we have identified those areas where resistance is highest and where more resources will be required in the future for addition rabbit control such as poisoning and warren destruction. Resistance has not reached such high levels that inoculating rabbits with a standard 0.5 ml of stock RHDV suspension no longer causes disease, however this may not be enough to initiate new RHD outbreaks if Czech strain virus is less able to infect resistant rabbits.

Understanding how RHDV coevolves as rabbits develop increasing genetic resistance will be important in assessing the long-term future of RHDV as a biological control agent. Research on the significance of genetic changes in the virus needs to be extended with direct studies on the virulence of viruses currently active in the field.

Final report prepared for Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia as part of the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre project 7.T.5 RHD: Genetic Resistance.

WARNING: Some people may find some of the following images confronting or distressing.

Click on the thumbnails to view a larger image.

This code of practice (COP) is adopted nationally. Jurisdictions can apply more stringent requirements as long as they retain the principles set out in these codes. The COP should only be used subject to the applicable legal requirements (including OH&S) operating in the relevant jurisdiction.

This code of practice (COP) is adopted nationally. Jurisdictions can apply more stringent requirements as long as they retain the principles set out in these codes. The COP should only be used subject to the applicable legal requirements (including OH&S) operating in the relevant jurisdiction.

This includes general information on:

• rabbit biology and impacts
• identifying damage and costs
• management tools and strategies
• policy and legislation.

The advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. Always read the label before using any  of the products mentioned. It is important that the information provided is adapted by each individual in accordance with
their own environmental, financial and social circumstances.

Fact sheet covering the use of fumigation for controlling rabbits in Australia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Case study on a cooperative fox control program conducted across urban areas in New South Wales. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Case study on the effectiveness of a group fox baiting program on land surrounding the Goonoo State Conservation Area of New South Wales. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Through widespread informal consultation with private citizens, public land managers and research groups, the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC) and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (Vertebrate Pest Research Unit) identified a need for a document that brought together a range of information on wildlife camera trapping to encourage some consistency in the collective approach to camera trapping in Australia. Based on our collective experiences with camera trapping, this document aims to provide users with ‘one-stop-shop’ information on most aspects of camera trapping for wildlife monitoring and research purposes, such as suggestions on selecting a fit-for-purpose camera, designing camera trapping surveys and means of managing and analysing camera trap data. We proposed some standards and included information on the history of camera trap use to provide context. We also explained common terms and described how camera traps actually work.

In preparing this document, however, it became increasingly apparent that it would likely take many years to provide robust recommendations on specific details of the methodologies for some surveys. Some of the information in this guide may be quickly superseded as technology and our understanding of ecology continue to advance, and it is important to acknowledge that we do not have all the answers. Consequently, we propose to maintain this as a living-document, to be updated as our collective knowledge of camera trapping advances. For similar reasons, readers will note that we have tried to avoid recommending particular brands or models of camera traps throughout the document, as they are likely to be superseded over time.

Importantly, in developing this document we surveyed camera trap users to compose a standard datasheet and database for site recording. The resulting documents (Microsoft Word datasheet and Access database) can be downloaded from www.feral.org.au/pestsmart/monitoring/ for offline use on your own computer.

This case study details the incursion of a green iguana in Queensland. It is produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Download case studyat the ‘Documents’ link below.

Fact sheet on laws and regulations in Australia relating to foxes. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Download factsheet at the ‘Documents’ link below.

This manual describes the progressive and integrated approaches that were employed to control/eradicate carp in Tasmania and that are likely to be of relevance elsewhere.

Fact sheet covering evidence collection and analysis and the fox eradication program in Tasmania. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet covering current research to boost the effectiveness of RHDV as a biological control for rabbits in Australia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Lisa Thomas is a Senior Ranger with the NSW Livestock Health and Pest Authority (LHPA). In this video, Lisa discusses and demonstrates warren ripping using a single tyne ripper for rabbit control.

Wild rabbits are Australia’s most widespread and destructive environmental and agricultural vertebrate pest. First arriving in Australia with the First Fleet, then deliberately released for hunting in the 1800′s, the rate of spread of the rabbit in Australia was the fastest of any colonising mammal anywhere in the world. They are now found in all states and territories, including several offshore islands. Rabbits graze on native and introduced vegetation, crops and pastures. Rabbit grazing can prevent seedlings from regenerating and reduce crop yields, as well as increase competition for feed with livestock. Rabbits damage native plants and directly compete with native wildlife for food and shelter. Their digging and browsing leads to a loss of vegetation cover, which in turn can result in slope instability and soil erosion. There are at least 156 threatened species that may be adversely affected by competition and land degradation by rabbits.

Steve Lapidge is a Program Leader with the Invasive Animals CRC. In this video, Steve discusses and demonstrates the use of the PIGOUT® 1080 bait for feral pig control. Aspects such as bait station design and site selection, pre-feeding and toxic baiting are covered.

Pigs arrived in Australia with the First Fleet and today feral populations inhabit around 40% of Australia.Feral pigs cause agricultural damage through predation of newborn lambs, reduction in crop yields, damage to fences and water sources, and competition with stock for feed by consuming or damaging pasture. They also are considered a major threat to stock as a potential carrier of exotic diseases, with the major concern being their role as a reservoir for Foot-And-Mouth Disease should it ever become established in Australia or New Zealand.

Jason Wishart is a Project Officer with the Invasive Animals CRC. In this video, Jason discusses and demonstrates the use of the HogHopper® bait delivery device for feral pig control. Aspects such as assembly, site selection, pre-feeding and toxic baiting are covered.

Pigs arrived in Australia with the First Fleet and today feral populations inhabit around 40% of Australia.Feral pigs cause agricultural damage through predation of newborn lambs, reduction in crop yields, damage to fences and water sources, and competition with stock for feed by consuming or damaging pasture. They also are considered a major threat to stock as a potential carrier of exotic diseases, with the major concern being their role as a reservoir for Foot-And-Mouth Disease should it ever become established in Australia or New Zealand.

Steve Lapidge is a Program Leader with the Invasive Animals CRC. In this video, Steve discusses the development of the HOG-GONE® bait and sodium nitirite concentrate as a new toxin for feral pig control.

Pigs arrived in Australia with the First Fleet and today feral populations inhabit around 40% of Australia.Feral pigs cause agricultural damage through predation of newborn lambs, reduction in crop yields, damage to fences and water sources, and competition with stock for feed by consuming or damaging pasture. They also are considered a major threat to stock as a potential carrier of exotic diseases, with the major concern being their role as a reservoir for Foot-And-Mouth Disease should it ever become established in Australia or New Zealand.

Jason Neville is a Pest Management Officer with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. In this video, Jason and Paul Meek (project officer with the Invasive Animals CRC) discuss and demonstrate the use of both a silo mesh or heat-shaped trap and the panel trap for catching feral pigs.

Pigs arrived in Australia with the First Fleet and today feral populations inhabit around 40% of Australia.Feral pigs cause agricultural damage through predation of newborn lambs, reduction in crop yields, damage to fences and water sources, and competition with stock for feed by consuming or damaging pasture. They also are considered a major threat to stock as a potential carrier of exotic diseases, with the major concern being their role as a reservoir for Foot-And-Mouth Disease should it ever become established in Australia or New Zealand.

Pigs arrived in Australia with the First Fleet and today feral populations inhabit around 40% of Australia. Feral pigs cause agricultural damage through predation of newborn lambs, reduction in crop yields, damage to fences and water sources, and competition with stock for feed by consuming or damaging pasture. They also are considered a major threat to stock as a potential carrier of exotic diseases, with the major concern being their role as a reservoir for Foot-And-Mouth Disease should it ever become established in Australia or New Zealand.

This series of videos gives a general introduction to the problem of feral pigs in Australia and discusses their impacts in marsh and rangeland country, particularly the Macquarie Marshes region of central NSW.

The aim of warren destruction, or ripping, is not just to bury the warren entrances but to ensure proper breakdown of the warren structure. Ripping should be carried out when rabbit numbers are at their lowest, usually in summer (eg after a disease outbreak or following a baiting program)1. Removing above-ground harbour (ie shelter) at the same time will increase the effectiveness of ripping.

Factsheet on the the use of warren ripping in rabbit control. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fencing can be effective, but the barrier is not absolute. A monitoring system and a management plan need to be in place to rapidly detect and control any breaches. Surplus killing (where they kill more than they can eat) by foxes that manage to breach a fence protecting endangered species can be catastrophic. Additional fox control in a buffer zone outside the enclosure can make fencing much more effective.

Factsheet on the use of fencing for fox control. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Case study on the usefulness of legislative powers to improve fox management. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Case study on the current attempt to eradicate foxes from Phillip Island off the Victorian coast. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet covering the use of DNA analysis for investigating and monitoring fox populations and behaviour in Australia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet covering the use of poison baiting for controlling rabbits in Australia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Click on the thumbnails to view a larger image.

The 2012 Feral Photos competition is now open! Entry is free and the competition closes 30 September 2012. See the website www.invasiveanimals.com/feral-photos for more information.

Quarantine measures for protecting and maintaining Tasmania’s high standard of biosecurity must be periodically checked to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose. As part of this on-going process, the DPIW is reviewing risk measures that currently apply to matters of particularly serious quarantine concern to the State, such as that posed by the potential introduction of the exotic vermin, the European red fox, Vulpes vulpes. Each quarantine risk review undertaken is
informed by contemporary Import Risk Analysis (IRA) method which provides a scientifically credible, transparent foundation for policy decisions about quarantine measures.

Authorities have gathered sufficient evidence beyond reasonable doubt over the past decade to categorically confirm the presence of low numbers of red foxes in the State (Fox Eradication Program 2005). Popular belief suggests the presence of these foxes has most likely arisen from the wilful, illegal introduction of sets of fox cubs by one or more people in the late 1990’s, and is a situation exacerbated by the coincidental decline of the Tasmanian Devil population across much of the State due to the spread of a fatal facial tumour disease. Tasmanian Devil’s are believed to have provided an important predatory and/or competitive buffer against the establishment of foxes in the past. As the fox is far from being fully
established in Tasmania, every effort is being made by the Government to specifically target and eradicate the small number of vermin known to be present in selected areas of the State.

Current best practice management of foxes in Australia, for both agricultural and conservation purposes promotes broad-scale, cooperative management programs, with community involvement and collaboration from government agencies  and private landholders. These regional-scaled, integrative programs give more effective long-term respite from fox predation damage, while maximising the cost-effectiveness, as they have a greater impact on this invasive species’ migratory and population compensatory abilities (Saunders and McLeod 2007). There are many examples from the conservation literature where such programs have significantly reduced the fox impact on threatened species although such programs are generally more intensive, heavily subsidised by the government and conducted over longer periods than conventional agricultural programs.

These instructional clips can also be found online at www.youtube.com/PestSmart. The techniques and products used are relevant to production and biodiversity based vertebrate pest control management programs.

The views expressed within these videos are that of the presenter and not necessarily of the Invasive Animals CRC or its partners. The information contained in these videos is for general information purposes only. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Please refer to local or State regulations and standard operating procedures before commencing any techniques shown in these DVDs.

Copies of the DVD are also available free of charge (stock permitting) by contacting the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre on email: contact@invasiveanimals.com or  (02) 6201 2887 .

Simon Humphrys is the Commercialisation Manager with the Invasive Animals CRC. In this video, Simon discusses new toxins being developed for wild dog and fox control. This new toxin, PAPP, is being formulated into new baits.

Wild dogs and foxes pose a threat to livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats and poultry. In high density areas they may also be a health risk to humans and pets, through transmission of diseases such as distemper, parvo virus and mange. Evidence suggests red foxes are a primary cause in the decline and extinction of many small and medium-sized rodent and marsupial species in Australia. They also prey on many bird species.

It uses over 150 cartoons, drawings, diagrams, and photographs to illustrate the text and make the content more accessible. An introduction has been added which describes camel handling hazards, camel body condition scoring, and ways to identify camel bulls in rut and camel cows in late pregnancy.

Prepared for the South Australian State Feral Camel Management Project by Rural Solutions South Australia, the book can be downloaded or ordered in hard copy from the link below.

A myriad of fence designs exist for this purposes and there are currently few published guidelines available to advise conservation managers on the factors that need to be considered when assessing exclusion fence designs and when planning a fence’s alignment, construction and maintenance. Coman and McCutchan (1994) conducted a comprehensive review of  fox and feral cat exclusion fencing in Australia. This current document expands on Coman and McCutchan’s report by  updating the available information on fox and cat exclusion fencing and including reviews of fences designed to exclude the other three mentioned species. Given the history of dingo (Canis lupus dingo) exclusion fencing in Australia (McKnight  1969) a review of these fences is also included.

Entered by Andrew Bengsen in the Invasive Animals CRC’s Feral Photos 2011 photography competition.

This image file may be freely downloaded and used without permission of the copyright holder for educational purposes only. If the image file is to be used for any other purpose other than educational use (including commercial purposes), permission must be obtained directly from the copyright holder.

Since domestic dogs arrived in Australia, interbreeding between dogs and dingoes has progressed rapidly. Understanding which areas have pure dingoes and which have hybrids is important for dingo conservation and for understanding the ecology of wild dogs in Australia’s ecosystems.

Fact sheet on dingo purity and distribution in Australia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

The research areas addressed in this thesis are: the type of genetic samples best suited to different questions in research on wild dogs; the locations of pure dingoes; the patterns of gene flow among individuals and groups; and the degree of variability in spatial ecology across their range. Research outcomes are also placed into the context of how they can inform the management of wild dogs. Comparison of three non-invasively collected DNA sources with each other and with an invasively collected source (DNA swabs) showed that non-invasive samples, particularly scats, can be an appropriate source of DNA for monitoring based on identification of individual. The costs and time involved in quality control of non-invasive samples, however, make them a less attractive option for large-scale or population-level studies, which require more genetic markers. I therefore employed tissue samples sourced from culling programs to examine aspects of gene flow at four geographic scales. At the continental scale, I assessed the level of interbreeding between dingoes and domestic dogs, using both established methodology and a Bayesian clustering approach. Both methods provided similar results, showing increased hybridisation in coastal areas, particularly the southeast of Australia, but fewer hybrids in the inland areas with lower densities of human settlement. Because population structure may affect approaches to control of wild dogs and conservation of dingoes, I then examined the scale and pattern of genetic subdivision and relatedness in three regions: the Tanami desert in the northern central region of Australia; south Queensland on the east coast; and across the western third of the continent. Wild dogs showed unexpected patterns of population structure, with variations in the geographical extent and separation of clusters. Relationships and spatial ecology of wild dogs in the Tanami desert appeared to be strongly affected by human activity, particularly the presence of artificially abundant food resources. The wild dogs sampled in south Queensland and Western Australia showed distinct genetic clusters in the absence of geographic barriers, showing that Australian wild dogs display cryptic genetic subdivision at a similar scale found in wolves in vastly different habitats. The findings of this study reinforce the variability found in Australian wild dogs previously demonstrated by studies of diet and movements, and provide a novel and comprehensive overview of gene flow both among wild dogs and between dingoes and domestic dogs.

OTC leaves a mark in bony tissue that can be used as a reference point to analyse the formation of subsequent growth rings, known as ‘check marks’. The number of check marks that appear over a known time period can then be used to determine the age of the fish. In carp populations in the southern MDB, check marks are known to form annually. However, whether this occurs in the subtropical environment of the northern MDB had not been examined before this project. Validating this ageing method will enable population modelling to be applied to the whole MDB and assist in carp management.

In the first section of this report we describe a study of feral populations of both O. mossambicus and T. mariae from five locations within a 67 km radius, showing a wide diversity and plasticity in their reproductive and growth parameters. It is thought that this inherent variability is partly responsible for their capacity to quickly and efficiently invade new and sometimes marginal areas, such as the Kewarra Beach drain examined during this study. A high level of parental care ensuring that a relatively high proportion of eggs and larvae are recruited as juveniles, and the ability to spawn multiple broods over a year-round reproductive season gives tilapia a significant competitive advantage over native fishes.

In both species of tilapia, males grew faster than females and there was evidence of considerable variability in the growth characteristic of O. mossambicus between study sites. In Tinaroo Falls Dam, the O. mossambicus population grew faster than the population in the Kewarra Beach drain, probably because the effects of harsher environmental conditions at
the latter site. Ageing studies indicate that Tinaroo Falls Dam was more recently colonised by T. mariae than the Mulgrave River suggesting that invasion of north Queensland habitats by this species ongoing.

The CARPSIM model was successfully adapted for use with O. mossambicus and T. mariae. Some of the simulations completed suggest that it is possible to drive tilapia populations to pseudo-extinction using very high levels of fishing pressure or a combination of fishing pressure and recruitment failure. However, simulations that used more realistic estimates of fishing effort, levels of spawning disruption and other interventions, suggested that while it was possible to drive tilapia abundance down to low levels, populations would not become pseudo-extinct and would quickly recover to previous levels once interventions ceased.

An ongoing control experiment in the Herberton Weir using monthly physical removal of Mozambique tilapia via electrofishing has resulted in a substantial reduction in their relative abundance. However, fish abundance has now stabilised with the current challenge being to implement effective strategies to eliminate the remaining fish from the weir.

This commitment had a focus on controlling the wild dogs in the shire, and fighting the continued wild dog incursions from the areas north of the shire into the Paroo Shire area, which was having a grave impact on grazing throughout the entire Shire. At this time, the Paroo Shire had over fifty percent of its area overrun with wild dogs. The Wild Dog control  program commenced with a baiting campaign which covered an area of 1.9 million hectares. A committee was set up
of local residents who committed their valuable time, knowledge and expertise to lead the control efforts against wild dogs for the benefit of all landholders in the Paroo Shire.

Within four years, the wild dog population in the Paroo Shire had reduced dramatically. Ongoing monitoring work has seen the area which has required baiting reduced by 50%, down to 780 000 hectares. This booklet will outline the wild dog technical thinking and community engagement processes that were employed to achieve this outstanding result.

Fact sheet on methods and strategies for wild dog control. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet on laws and regulations in Australia relating wild dogs. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet on detecting the presence of wild dogs. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

However, smaller toads can easily be confused with native frogs. To make sure you don’t kill a native frog by mistake, please take all toads under 4 cm long to a frog expert for identification. If handling them, use rubber gloves.

Information from the NSW Department of Environment and Heritage. Includes comparison pictures and sound recordings between cane toads and native frogs.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

A study in New South Wales (NSW) indicated that carp do not reproduce throughout entire river systems, and that the  majority of juvenile carp originate from a relatively small number of locations. These sites are known as ‘recruitment hotspots’. In NSW, carp hotspots include important wetlands such as the Macquarie Marshes, Namoi Wetlands, Gwydir
Wetlands and the Barmah–Millewa Forest.

Case study on the identification of carp spawning and recruitment hotspots in the Murray-Darling Basin. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Today, most people know the cane toad was deliberately released as a biological control, but may not be familiar with the
events that led to their release.

A historical case study of the events surrounding the release of Australia’s most hated invasive animal and the lessons learned. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Cane toads are relatively long lived and can survive for over 15 years. The average body length of an adult cane toad is 10–15 cm and captive ones can grow up to 2 kg in weight. Cane toads are hardy animals that are able to survive  temperatures ranging from 5–37°C2. They are active mostly at night, and tend to shelter under leaf litter, rubble or scraps of iron during the day.

Fact sheet describing the biology, ecology and impacts of the cane toad in Australia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

CAS has produced remarkably consistent results over the nearly three years that it operated, providing the first Australia-wide picture of public attitudes and beliefs regarding invasive animals and ways of controlling them.

Fact sheet describing the biology and ecology of Tilapia mariae. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet describing the environmental, economic and social impacts of introduced tilapia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet describing the Australian distribution and spread of Mozambique tilapia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet describing the biology and ecology of Mozambique tilapia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet covering the legislative framework and legal requirements for controlling rabbits in Australia. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet outlining the costs and impacts rabbits have on the Australian economy and environment. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Fact sheet covering the different types of RHDV products available in Australia, their effectiveness, regulations and other information. Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

Assignment to categories is an ongoing and dynamic process and will therefore require regular review. Responsibility for assigning taxa to Categories 1, 2 and 4 lies with the Australian Weeds Committee (AWC) and the Vertebrate Pests Committee (VPC). Responsibility for nominating taxa to Category 3 lies with those same Committees, with formal assignment achieved by Ministerial endorsement of the nomination.

The aim of this categorisation process is to reduce the impacts of invasive species on the economy, environment and/or social amenity of Australia by guiding the priorities for invasive species management in a manner consistent with the terms of the AWS and APAS.

The need to manage wild dogs for their impacts has not diminished in the last 200 years. There might be new laws or  different control tools and strategies, but the principles remain the same. This guide seeks to enable best-practice wild dog management by providing broadly applicable information on:

• wild dog ecology
• identifying wild dogs and their impacts
• management tools and strategies
• working dog safety
• policy and legislation.

This glovebox guide does not cover all the details of wild dog management, so you should consider participation in  developing community wild dog management plans or enrolment in recognised vertebrate pest management courses.

Thackaringa Station is a long-established wool-producing property of 66,000 ha near Broken Hill in western NSW, owned
by David Lord and his family. Historically, rabbits have persisted here in large numbers, causing vegetation and biodiversity loss, and increased grazing pressure. These impacts are comparable across many parts of arid-zone Australia, which are suffering the same devastation.

Thackaringa’s owners were able to secure funding from the Commonwealth Endangered Species Program in 2001–2002, a program of the former Natural Heritage Trust (NHT). With this funding, they were able to design and implement a comprehensive warren-ripping program to finish earlier works carried out on the property and to promote best practice
rabbit control.

Research suggests that rapid knockdown of a feral pig population by 70% or more can suppress its growth potential. In Australia, a suite of feral pig control techniques are available. Generally, no single technique will completely remove feral pigs from a given area, so a combination of techniques is usually needed. This factsheet provides an overview of methods commonly used for practical feral pig control in Australia.

Produced by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of the PestSmart series.

We acknowledge the assistance and support of a wide range of the community in delivering the science contained in this report. Natural resources managers, Fisheries Officers, commercial fishers, recreational fishers, and private landowners all contributed to the completion of this project. This science is simply one of the early steps in the long-term management of feral carp populations. Certainly, as subsequent steps are taken to solve the carp problem, further consultation and engagement with the community will be necessary.

In the light of this ground-swell of scientific conviction and public opinion, DNRE Victoria launched a major research project to determine the population dynamics of carp, Cyprinus carpio L. (Family: Cyprinidae) as an invasive  species―with the aim to evaluate and determine the most suitable control strategy.

Objectives of the project were:

• To determine key characteristics of carp populations, including population estimates, growth, survival and reproductive rates at selected locations.
• To develop population models for carp to allow what-if type simulation of a range of potential management strategies.
• Through fieldwork and modelling, trial the feasibility of various capture, exclusion and control measures.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the impact of feral pigs on soil, soil biota and vegetation in a lowland tropical rainforest in Daintree, north-eastern Australia, and the recovery following exclusion of feral pigs for 12 years.

Methods: Three types of plots were established in 1994: damaged plots were fenced in areas where severe damage had already occurred (‘fenced damaged’); undamaged plots were fenced in areas showing no evidence of damage (‘fenced undamaged’); and unfenced plots were randomly placed and remained at risk of damage (‘unfenced’).

Key results: In 2006, feral pigs had caused significant declines in seedling density, soil macroinvertebrate density and leaf litter cover, but not in soil pH, soil conductivity, invertebrate diversity, vegetation diversity, tree density, canopy cover or fallen log cover. Mean seedling density was lower in the fenced damaged plots than the fenced undamaged plots in 1994 but not in 2006. Other response variables also did not differ significantly between these two plot types, indicating that any damage caused by feral pigs to soil, soil biota or vegetation before 1994 was fully recovered within 12 years.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that reductions in soil invertebrate density, seedling density, and leaf litter cover should be monitored regularly to inform feral pig management programs, and that these variables should be measured for objective assessment of the outcome of any feral pig control program. These declines may continue and be translated into the decline of trees and other keystone species or processes into the future.

Implications: The efficacy of feral pig control programs can be assessed using the quantitative analysis of the aforementioned variables. The results of such monitoring programs, in conjunction with baseline data, can provide an indication of ecosystem recovery and therefore the level of success achieved by the applied control measures.

Aims: We examined how management of an apex predator, the dingo (Canis lupus dingo), influenced the distribution of two introduced mesopredators, foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cats (Felis catus), around water points in arid Australia.

Methods: The spatial activity of dingoes, foxes and feral cats was assessed at five study sites with varying dingo management regimes. Sampling of predator activity was monitored using track counts at measured proximity to water points.

Key results: At sites where dingoes were uncontrolled, foxes were less likely to be found within 5 km of water points; conversely, where dingoes were controlled using exclusion fencing, fox activity was highest near water. Where dingo activity was reduced using 1080 baiting, feral cats were found closer to water.

Conclusions: These patterns suggest that the presence of dingoes instigates avoidance behaviour by foxes and feral cats, and through doing so may limit the use of artificial waters by these mesopredators. Through limiting access to such an essential resource in arid environments, dingoes may reduce mesopredator populations and minimise their impact on native prey.

Implications: For the conservation of native biodiversity, it may prove beneficial to maintain intact dingo populations due to their suppressive effect on mesopredators.

Aims: To compare the population structure of buffalo and banteng on the basis of shot samples, so as to construct life tables for four contemporary (low-density) buffalo populations, and collated data from previous work from three historical (high-density) buffalo populations and one banteng population (the only extant ex situ population in existence). Further, to provide a validation of age estimation with and without informed priors in a Bayesian model comparing horn length and ages estimated from tooth cementum annuli. Finally, to interpret our results in the context of relative invasion potential of the two bovid species.

Key Results: For both species, survival of juveniles was the most important demographic component influencing deterministic population growth. However, buffalo have the demographic capacity to recover swiftly after control because of high survival and fertility rates across a range of population densities. Fertility of buffalo was historically greater than that of banteng, and buffalo fertility increased as their populations were reduced.

Conclusions: These findings highlight how subtle differences in demographic rates and feeding ecology can influence the success (high population growth and range expansion) of large herbivores, knowledge which is increasingly important for managing invasive species effectively.

Implications: We show that that individual life-history traits and demographic performance, especially fertility, play an important role in determining the spread of invasive bovids in a novel environment.

Aims: Our research aimed to clarify the vulnerability of silver cobblers to the eggs and larvae of cane toads by determining (a) whether catfish are adversely affected if they prey on toad eggs or tadpoles, and (b) whether surviving catfish learn to avoid cane toad eggs and tadpoles in subsequent encounters.

Methods: We conducted laboratory feeding trials to examine feeding responses of catfish to cane toad eggs and tadpoles in early and late developmental stages. Fish that survived exposure to toad eggs and/or tadpoles were re-tested with potential prey of the same sizes and developmental stages four days later.

Key results: Our laboratory trials confirmed that some catfish eat toad eggs and die; but most catfish avoided the eggs. Catfish readily consumed toad tadpoles at both early and late developmental stages, but without experiencing mortality; and soon learned not to consume this toxic new prey type.

Conclusions and implications: Despite potential frequent episodes of mortality of small numbers of catfish during the wet season, the overall impacts of cane toads on the Lake Argyle fishery likely will be minimal.

Aims: This study aimed to determine whether easily implemented bait presentation methods or seasonal variation in bait acceptability could be used to selectively reduce the consumption of feral pig baits by non-target species.

Methods: We exposed manufactured feral pig baits to pigs and non-target species in the field, and compared bait encounter, sampling and consumption rates for different functional groups of species among three different types of bait presentation and composition. We then exposed baits under different seasonal conditions and related bait encounter and consumption by different functional groups to seasonally variable phenomena.

Key results: Shallow burial greatly reduced bait consumption by most non-target species, but not dingoes (Canis lupus dingo). Nocturnal bait distribution and seasonal baiting were less useful. Pigs showed substantial seasonal variation in physiological condition, suggesting that pigs should be more susceptible to consuming novel foods, such as baits, after periods of low rainfall. However, few pigs consumed the manufactured baits used in this study.

Conclusions: Manufactured baits are not currently suitable for widespread use in the region. However, shallow burial should provide an effective method of reducing non-target bait-take if baits can be made more attractive and acceptable to pigs and less acceptable to dingoes.

Implications: Future efforts to enable effective feral pig control in the region should focus on developing baiting materials that are more attractive to pigs and unappealing to dingoes.

In order to test the predictions made from knowledge of urban foxes and coyotes, GPS collars were fitted to several urban dingoes to record their home range sizes, activity patterns, and habitat use. In addition to this, fresh faeces were collected and tested for the presence of zoonotic diseases and parasites. Results from the preliminary investigation show urban dingoes to have small home range sizes (mean 2.17km2), crepuscular activity patterns, and flexible habitat use. In essence, most urban dingoes occupied a small patch of either bushland or sugarcane/grassland and were most active at dawn and dusk. The only exceptions to this were an adult female caught during breeding season and a juvenile female captured during a dispersal event. Faecal analysis showed 57% (17 out of 30) of urban dingo scats to contain zoonoses, though this is probably an underestimate of the true prevalence of zoonoses in urban dingo populations. Zoonotic pathogens identified in scats include various hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, giardia, salmonella, campylobacter and coccidia. The results of this preliminary study indicate that the spatial ecology of urban dingoes is dissimilar to that of rural dingoes, and is similar to that of urban foxes and coyotes. In order to effectively manage dingoes in urban environments, the spatial ecology, zoonoses, and impacts of dingoes in urban areas need to be investigated in more detail. This can be achieved, in part, through investigations of seasonal home range size, activity patterns and habitat use, and further epidemiological studies. Purity related research, diet and food availability, and accurate density estimates of populations should supplement these studies.

Aims: To analyse the frequency, and provide risk assessments, for exotic vertebrate species detected by border and post-border Australian biosecurity agencies in the past decade (1999–2010).

Methods: We collated detection records by emailing or telephoning representatives from agencies responsible for implementing Australian biosecurity. We calculated the risk of successful establishment (low, moderate, serious, extreme) for 137 identified vertebrate species not currently established in Australia. Generalised linear models were constructed to test whether the frequency of increasing risk of establishment was associated with either differences between vertebrate classes and/or different detection categories.

Key results: The majority of species detected were reported from illegal keeping. Individual species risk assessments revealed that reptiles were more likely to be of greater risk for future establishment than were birds, mammals or amphibians. Controlling for taxonomy, high-risk species were not involved in larger (i.e. number of individuals) incidents than were lower-risk species. Across years, the number of novel exotic vertebrate species detected ‘at large’ in Australia has significantly increased.

Conclusions: Several of the species detected by biosecurity agencies have attributes that give them the potential to become pests in Australia. Preventing incursions is by far the most cost-effective way to prevent future pest damage.

Implications: It is clear that a nationally coordinated framework for data collection and data sharing among agencies is urgently required. We present a minimum framework for the future collection of inter-agency data, necessary to assess and monitor the ongoing risk of vertebrate pest incursions in Australia.

In recent years, growing environmental awareness has led to a rise in community activities aimed at supporting or recovering the local environment. Carp fishing competitions are seen as a fun, hands-on way for members of the public to help reduce the high numbers of this pest fish and its destructive impact on inland waterways. High-technology methods such as electrofishing (by trained personnel) are certainly more efficient at reducing carp populations, but they do not provide the community with a sense of involvement.

This guide will be a useful reference for any fishing club or other organisation considering hosting a carp fishing competition. It includes scientific knowledge of the habits and ecology of carp and the most efficient ways to target them. It also includes advice from experienced fishing competition organisers on how to plan and run a public event. Examples and advice are provided on how to successfully combine these two sets of sometimes-conflicting ideals. A workbook is attached at the end.

The guide explains how to set the objectives of a competition, and how these objectives influence many other aspects of planning, such as the site, timing and size of the event and likely sponsors and prizes. It provides advice on public event advertising, permits and insurance, catering, entertainment, registration systems and crowd control. The aim is to maximise the fishing competition’s effectiveness against carp while ensuring a safe and enjoyable public event that everyone will be keen to do again.

Invasive animals are among the biggest threats to Australia’s biodiversity, they impose costs on most agricultural and horticultural industries (exceeding $700m annually), they pose serious biosecurity risks, including potentially to human health, and they compound significant land and water degradation problems. However, perhaps because invasive animals are pervasive and chronic across Australia, no-one has clear ownership of the issue. This has contributed to a lack of critical mass and a fragmented research, extension, regulatory and policy effort.

There is a compelling case for continued public investment in a national institutional framework to plan, fund and coordinate collaborative applied invasive animals research and development in Australia.

The European rabbit is a major environmental pest in semi-arid and arid environments across Australia, including the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. In the past, rabbit numbers in the Flinders Ranges National Park (FRNP) have been among the highest in the region due to suitable terrain and soil types. Warren densities of 80—100 warrens/km² were common across the park, with some higher-density infestations of up to 150/km² in localised areas.

The Bounceback recovery program was established in response to the continued decline in habitat quality from overgrazing by introduced herbivores including rabbits, as well as other ecological issues in the Flinders region. Rabbit control began in FRNP in 1994, as part of the early stages of the Bounceback program. In 1995, rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) significantly reduced rabbit numbers and allowed the Bounceback team to take advantage of the  low-density population.

Native plants and animals in the Flinders–Olary and Gawler bioregions of northern South Australia have been adversely affected since European settlement. Impacts from high levels of grazing by domestic stock and other introduced grazers such as rabbits, feral goats and (to a lesser extent) donkeys and camels have been long term.

Excessive grazing pressure has prevented native plant communities from regenerating, allowing exotic plants to colonise and establish. In some areas this has led to fragmentation of ecosystems. Combined with predation by foxes and feral cats, these changes have significantly reduced local fauna, with some species such as the bilby, bettong and hare-wallabies now believed to be extinct. The Bounceback program was developed to protect the area from further damage and to help it recover.

Hunters and shooters must be aware of, and strictly observe all relevant legal requirements and safety guidelines for the use of their weapons. The general use of firearms is covered under individual state or territory legislation. The act of killing a fox is governed by the state or territory’s animal welfare legislation and penalties apply if it is not done in a way that causes the animal as little pain as possible. A code of practice and a standard operating procedure for the shooting of foxes is available.

This program began in September 2004 in the Milton/Ulladulla region of New South Wales when concerns were raised about the number of foxes in the area. A community meeting of all stakeholders was held to discuss the best approach to managing the fox problem.

The main issues identified were predation of native animals and livestock (particularly shorebirds, poultry and children’s pets), nuisance value in local caravan parks and public parks (raiding of garbage bins), and disease transmission.

Hattah-Kulkyne National Park was declared in 1980 and is a highly rabbit-prone environment. Before the arrival of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), conventional control had reduced rabbit abundance to between two and eight rabbits
per spotlight kilometre. After RHDV became established in 1996, spotlight counts dropped to fewer than one rabbit per kilometre. In areas where warrens were ripped, spotlight counts remained below 0.5 rabbits per kilometre.

This guide has arisen from our experiences and from the feedback received from participating students. We do not aim to be prescriptive but to provide a starting point from which other organisations may create a similar beneficial experience for their students.

The BSP is a cross-institutional program, based around a single theme (invasive animals). Our students come from  Universities across Australia and the UK, however this program could easily be run by the academic community for students within or across Universities.

Although this program has a number of unusual features, the two that stand out for Australian academic communities are the workplace connections which are aimed at creating a lasting benefit to both the students involved and the industry partners and the thematic nature of the program (in this case invasive animals).

The BSP does require a substantial investment on the part of the institutions involved, with an active commitment in terms of time, money and people. CRCs are uniquely placed in this regard, however we believe that this commitment is worth it and will therefore be of interest to postgraduate programs outside the CRCs. We envisage a learning experience that prepares PhD graduates more fully for both academic involvement and the industry workforce which is becoming further available to them.