Queanbeyan
Indicator: Pest Animals
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
Please note: Text or data highlighted in this colour represent an update to this indicator for the period 2008/09.
What the results tell us for Queanbeyan
There were no significant changes recorded during the 2008-09 period. As was reported in 2004-08 because Queanbeyan covers a small area and is predominantly urban, by comparison with other Local Government Authorities in the Capital Region, pest animals were not a major concern. Seven types of pest animal were reported to be present during the current reporting period. Two pest animal species were first recorded in the City Council during the previous reporting period; wild dogs and dingoes, deer. This is a similar trend to the previous reporting period however, due to limitations in the current reporting period data, quantitative information to assess change in the pest animal distribution and abundance is unavailable.
The activities of six pest animals known from the Queanbeyan City Council are listed as New South Wales (NSW) Key Threatening Process. Furthermore, there is one priority action to manage habitat and feral control for one threatened species listed occurring within the City Council area.
The NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) undertook control programs within the City Council 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 undertaken by the Braidwood 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 Australian Capital Territory (ACT) (see About the data for more information). It involves pest animal mapping between 2004 and 2006.
Seven types of introduced animals were reported to be pests in Queanbeyan City Council during the reporting period: wild dogs and dingoes (Canis lupus familiaris, Canis lupus dingo and hybrids), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), wild deer (Cervus spp, Dama dama and Axis spp) and cats (Felis catus). The pest animal location and abundance is summarised in Table 1.
Foxes and rabbits were the most widespread pest animals for the Queanbeyan City Council during the current reporting period, whilst pigs were the second most abundant species. Dogs, deer, and goats occupy low density pockets around the western and eastern boundaries. Cats only occupy a small, low density pocket in the south east of the region.
| Species | Preferred Habitats | Distribution and Density (High, Medium or Low*) |
|---|---|---|
| Feral Pigs (Sus scrofa) | In a variety of habitats in and surrounding native timber and urban areas | Low density to the north east and medium density concentrations to the south of the City Council area |
| Dingoes and wild dogs (Canis lupus familiaris, Canis lupus dingo and hybrids) | Within areas of native forest and bushland and surrounding urban areas | Medium density population on the southern tip of the City Council boundary |
| Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) | Foxes are located across the entire City Council area. | Mostly medium density population with high pockets on the western boundary and south east corner near the Googong Reservoir |
| Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) | Across entire City Council district | Low distribution |
| Cat s (Felis catus) | Predominantly urban areas around Queanbeyan | Low density pocket around Queanbeyan, remainder of council area is absent of cats |
| Wild Deer (Cervus spp, Dama dama and Axis spp) | Modified and native pastures with scattered trees | Low density in the south east region around the Googong Reservoir |
* 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 six pest animal species in NSW that are present in the Queanbeyan City Council have been listed as key threatening processes in the state by the NSW Scientific Committee under the Threatened Species and Conservation Act 1995 (see Table 3).
| Name of Threatening Process | Date of Determination |
|---|---|
| Competition and grazing by the feral European rabbit (DECC 2008d) | Final: 10 May 2001 |
| Herbivory and environmental degradation caused by feral deer (DECC 2008e) | 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 |
Source: DECC 2008
A threat abatement plan, prepared during the last reporting period for the European Red Fox, continues to apply. The plan provides a collaborative strategy for fox control programs, with the primary purpose of conserving native species in NSW (DECC 2001).
There is one priority action under the ‘habitat management: feral control’ recovery strategy in the Queanbeyan City Council. This applies to one threatened species, the Eastern Bentwing-bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis), which is under threat from predation by foxes and feral cats (2008h).
Pest animal control activities
NSW Government agencies
The 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 working jointly 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 on 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 domestic dogs that take baits accidentally.
No information was available detailing control activities undertaken by the Braidwood Rural Lands Protection Board for this reporting period.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest animal control
No information was available regarding expenditure and effectiveness of pest animal control within Queanbeyan City Council 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 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), 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 in Table 1.
| 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 (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 (2008) Queanbeyan City Council Council, Threatened species, populations and ecological communities of NSW, Department of Environment and Climate Change. Viewed 22 October 2008 http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_recovery_
details.aspx?lga=Queanbeyan%20City%20Council&type=habitat+management:+feral+control
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
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
