Cootamundra
Indicator: Pest Animals
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Cootamundra
Five pest animals were recorded in the Cootamundra Shire during the current reporting period, two of which were considered to be a major problem. This is an increase by one pest animal (cats) to the previous reporting period however, due to limitations in the current reporting period data, quantitative information to assess change in all the pest animal distributions and abundance is unavailable. Furthermore, this is only the second time that the Cootamundra Shire has been included in the Australian Capital Region State of the Environment Report.
Activities of five pest animals are listed as Key Threatening Processes in the Cootamundra Shire. There are no priority actions for feral animal management listed by Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) for the Shire.
The New South Wales (NSW) DECC undertook control programs within the Shire for pest animals however specific details on this work were unavailable for the current reporting period. DECC also have implemented an eight year plan for pest animal management, known as the ‘NSW Invasive Species Plan 2008 - 2015’.
Information detailing control programs in the Cootamundra Shire for pest animals undertaken by the Rural Lands Protection Board are unavailable for the current reporting period.
Pest animal infestations
The more mobile pest animal species utilise a wide variety of habitat types within all land tenures. Populations of all pest animal species fluctuate with climate, seasonal conditions and the availability of local resources. Managing pest animals and their impacts is the shared responsibility of all land managers.
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has undertaken a spatial survey of pest animal distribution and abundance across NSW and the Australia Capital Territory (ACT) (see About the data for more information) (DPI2007).
Five types of animals were present in the Cootamundra Shire during the current reporting period: foxes (Vulpes vulpes), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), pigs (Sus scrofa), wild deer (Cervus spp, Dama dama and Axis spp) and cats (Felis catus). Cats were not reported during the previous reporting period and they now cover the greater majority of the Shire area in low densities. This is a significant shift in this pest animals distribution. The general location and abundance of these pest animals is shown in Table 1. Cats and foxes were the most widespread pest animals for the Cootamundra Shire during the current reporting period.
| Species | Preferred Habitats | Distribution and Density (High, Medium or Low*) |
|---|---|---|
| Feral Pigs (Sus scrofa) | A variety of habitats from native forest and woodland to native and modified pastures and cropping lands | Only a few found in the south-east tip of the Shire. Majority of the Shire has an absent distribution |
| Fox (Vulpes vulpes) | Across the entire Shire district – occupying all habitat types | Predominantly high density populations with a medium density population along the western boundary of the Shire |
| Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) | Main concentrations in the Bethunga, Brawlin and Berthong areas in rougher parts of the Shire. In areas of native forest and woodlands, and native or highly modified pastures | Medium to low densities |
| Wild Deer (Cervus spp, Dama dama and Axis spp) | Occur from time to time but not a major problem for the Shire. Predominantly occur in areas of scattered native forest and woodland surrounded by native and modified pastures and in areas of cropping | Low density populations in the south-east and central-east |
| Cat (Felis catus) | Across the entire Shire – occupying all habitat types | Low density populations across the Shire with a pocket of medium density in the south east corner |
* see About the data for information detailing how densities were calculated
Source: DPI 2007, OCE 2004
Information detailing the changes in density of pest animal populations was unavailable for the current reporting period.
Pest animals as threatening processes
The activities of five pest animal species in NSW that are present in the Cootamundra Shire have been listed as key threatening processes in the state by the NSW Scientific Committee under the Threatened Species and Conservation Act 1995.
| Name of Threatening Process | Date of Determination |
|---|---|
| Competition and grazing by the feral European rabbit (DECC 2008 b) | Final: 10 May 2001 |
| Herbivory and environmental degradation caused by feral deer (DECC 2008 e) | Final: 17 December 2004 |
| Predation by feral cats (DECC 2008 c) | Final: 24 March 2000 |
| Predation by the European Red Fox (DECC 2008 b) | Final: 20 March 1998 |
| Predation, habitat degradation, competition and disease transmission by feral Pigs (DECC 2008 f) | Final: 27 August 2004 |
Source: DECC 2008
A threat abatement plan, prepared during the last reporting period for the European Red Fox, continues to run. The plan provides a collaborative strategy for fox control programs, with the primary purpose of conserving native species in NSW (DECC 2001). Updates on this plan are currently unavailable.
There are no recovery strategy plans for threatened species, communities and populations in the Cootamundra Shire for damage incurred by pest animals.
Pest animal control activities
NSW Government agencies
The NSW DPI introduced the ‘NSW Invasive Species Plan 2008 - 2015’ which aims to protect the environment, economy and community from the adverse impacts of invasive species (DPI 2008). This eight year plan has set out a framework for the coordinated and cooperative management of invasive species aiming to prevent new incursions, contain existing populations and adaptively manage widespread species. This plan is being progressed with NSW DPI, DECC, Department of Lands (LANDS), Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs), Rural Land Protection Boards (RLPBs) and stakeholders.
During the reporting period, DECC undertook control programs for pest animals in conservation areas, often in conjunction with other government agencies and/ or the Rural Lands Protection Board. DECC prioritises areas where new outbreaks occur, where threatened native plants or animals are at risk from the impact of pest animals, and where there is a need to minimize the impacts of pests on neighboring lands, such as farms (DECC 2008a). Detailed information on these projects are unavailable for the current reporting period.
The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC) is working on several projects aimed at controlling pest animal numbers of pigs, foxes, cats and rabbits. For example; A new bait for canids and felids which is considered fast acting, with no visible signs of distress as animals are rendered unconscious rapidly is being developed (IA CRC, 2008). In addition the CRC are also developing an antidote that may be given to any domestic dogs that take baits accidentally.
Effectiveness of control programs
No information was available to detailing the effectiveness of control programs throughout Cootamundra Council area.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest animal control
No information was available regarding expenditure and effectiveness of pest animal control within Cootamundra Council area for the current reporting period.
About the data
The NSW DPI pest animal survey represents the distribution, abundance, control and impacts of major pest animals across NSW and the ACT during 2004 to 2006. Information was captured through a two-part survey involving land management agencies. Based on a density ranking system (see Table 3 below), the resulting maps depict variation in animal abundance and density across all land tenures. Information was collected on a regional scale using a grid cell basis (5x5 km – equating 25km²). Pest animal density data was obtained from pest animal managers and key representatives from Government and non-Government agencies responsible for the control of pest animals across NSW and ACT. These agencies include the Rural Lands Protection Board Districts, NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (National Parks and Wildlife Service - now DECC), NSW DPI (State Forests of NSW), Environment ACT, and Game Council of NSW.
This is a very coarse dataset and consequently the results are lacking in specific, quantitative detail compared with the previous reporting period.
Density divisions are detailed below:
| Density | Definition |
|---|---|
| High | Many animals seen at any time and much sign of activity i.e animals always observed, reliable sightings or otherwise evidence of high abundance. Best described as observing significant evidence of many animals on greater than 80% of occasions |
| Medium | Some animals seen at almost any time and/or much active sign i.e frequent but unreliable sightings of animals. Best described as observing significant evidence of some animals on 50–80% of occasions |
| Low | Few or no sightings and/or little active sign i.e rare sightings/ evidence. Best describe as observing very little evidence of animals 1-50% of occasions. |
| Absent | No animals’ i.e very unusual to see evidence of animals. Best described as seeing either no evidence or very little evidence of extremely low numbers of animals on less than 1% of occasions |
Source: DPI 2007
References
DECC – see Department of Environment and Climate Change
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008) New South Wales State of the Environment 2006, Chapter 6, Biodiversity Department of Environment and Climate Change viewed: October 20 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2006/chapter6/chp_6.4.htm#6.4.75
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008a) Pest and weed management in NSW National Parks, Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 22 Oct 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pestsweeds/pestweedmgmtnsw.htm
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008b) NSW Scientific Committee – Final Determination, Predation by the European Red Fox – Key Threatening Process Declaration. NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 21 October 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/EuropeanRedFoxKTPListing.htm
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008c) NSW Scientific Committee – Final Determination, Predation by feral cats – Key Threatening Process Declaration. NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 21 October 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/FeralCatsKTPListing.htm
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008d) NSW Scientific Committee – Final Determination, Competition and grazing by the feral European rabbit – Key Threatening Process Declaration. NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 21 October 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/FeralEuropeanRabbitKTPListing.htm
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008e) NSW Scientific Committee – Final Determination, Herbivory and environmental degradation caused by feral deer – Key Threatening Process Declaration. NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 21 October 2008
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/FeralDeerKtp.htm
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008f) NSW Scientific Committee – Final Determination, Feral pigs – Key Threatening Process Declaration. NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 21 October 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/FeralPigsKtp.htm
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008g) NSW Scientific Committee – Final Determination, Competition and habitat degradation by feral goats – Key Threatening Process Declaration. NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 21 October 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/FeralGoatsKtp.htm
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2004) New South Wales State of the Environment 2006, Chapter 6, Biodiversity Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed: October 20 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2006/chapter6/chp_6.4.htm#6.4.75
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2001) Predation by the red fox – threat abatement plan, Department of Environment and Climate Change, viewed 21 October 2008 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspecies/RedFox-FinalThreatAbatementPlan.htm
Department of Primary Industries (2008) NSW Invasive Species Plan 2008-2015, Department of Primary Industries, viewed: October 21 2008 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/nsw-invasive-species-plan
Department of Primary Industries (2007) Pest Animal Survey: A review of the distribution, impacts and control of invasive animals throughout NSW and the ACT, Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary Industries, Orange
DPI – see Department of Primary Industries
IA CRC (2008) – See Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre
Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (2008) Foxes: What are we doing?, Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, viewed 21 October 2008 http://www.invasiveanimals.com/invasive-animals/foxes/index.html
