Feral Thoughts

Go ahead given to try and enhance rabbit biocontrol

Amongst over $400 million of environmental projects announced yesterday by the Australian Government was one for $1.5 million for our CRC to conduct a project called RHDV Boost.  The proposal was pulled together by the CRC's Chief Operating Officer, Andreas Glanznig with rabbit research leader Brian Cooke and a suite of collaborators from NSW DPI, CSIRO, South Australia and others.  In fact, to carry out the project successfully, our virologists will work with collaborators in Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the USA.

Dogs work better than cameras or hair snares for low level detection - finding the fox "needle" in the Tasmanian "haystack".

From personal experience, I know that a trained fox scat detecting dog is better at finding fox scats than me.  Which is good, because I didn't want to take it up as a career anyway.  In the small demonstration I described in an earlier post, one dog was actually better than more than a dozen people working together to find fox scats.  The dogs, magnificent black labradors, have been employed in the effort to rid Tasmania of a small number of foxes.

Some people in Tasmania have asked why use scat-detecting dogs?  It seems a complex way to find a fox - why not just trap the foxes or use traditional methods like sand pads (a layer of sand is raked and smoothed, usually where you'd expect animals to be, like a trail or near something attractive like food or scent markings, then you look for the tracks)?

The reason is that trained scat detecting dogs are better at detecting the presence of animals in low-density than other detection methods.  Remote cameras are nowadays often employed in wildlife management.  In recent years, the price of cameras has dropped dramatically and their efficiency has improved so they now form part of the toolbox of many wildlife people.  A group of researchers in Vermont compared detection of black bears, fishers (the North American marten, which actually rarely eats fish) and bobcats using scat detecting dogs, cameras and a third method, hair snares.

Invasive Species Council's argument deserves more than an "up yours" from the Game Council.

In doing some research for debates on a proposed new law on hunting in New South Wales, I've been surprised at the level of angst between the Game Council and the Invasive Species Council.  The Game Council is a NSW Statutory Body whereas the Invasive Species Council is a lobby group reminding us all of the impacts of weeds and feral animals and of the importance of biosecurity.

In a recent media release, the Chairman of the Game Council went as far as saying “In fact, if we are talking about ‘feral pests’, well that name describes ill-informed nuisance organisations such as the Invasive Species Council.”

Acclimatization - learning the lessons of more than a century ago

In 1879, the Prospectus of the N.S.W Acclimatization Society proclaimed:

That the Society shall immediately on its formation make arrangements for the procuring from Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America the Animals and Birds most sought after in the Colony either as Game to give sport or as songsters to enliven our bush homes...That application be made to the Government for the proclamation of certain Reserves in the different districts of the Colony, which Reserves shall be under the control of the Society for the purpose of Acclimatization and preserving their imported Animals and Birds;"

 It seems we haven't learned that much in the intervening 130 years.  The current proposal by the N.S.W Shooter's Party is remarkably similar to the 1879 acclimatizer's creed.  

The Victorian's were a little ahead of N.S.W in terms of acclimatization.  The Colony's Governor, his Excellency Sir Henry Barkly said in 1862 that he was coming around to the idea that Monkey acclimatization could be a good thing "for the amusement of the wayfarer whom their gambols would delight as he lay under some gum tree in the forest on a sultry day".  Sir Henry was, however, firmly against the acclimatization of boa constrictors, and he expressed relief that one had died on its trip from the Cape of Good Hope.

Sir Henry's successor, Governor Darling begged to differ.  He did not like monkeys "but I have no objection whatever to boa constrictors" he told the Society.  He was impressed with the drawing room antics of a pet boa constrictor, which would rear its head over the top of a piano and be the object of much curiosity, despite causing some initial alarm.  Indeed, Governor Darling advised the Society that it "is not wise to determine against the introduction of any species of snake".

The Shooter's Party wants to introduce pheasants for recreational shooting in N.S.W Game Reserves.  Pheasants caused no problems really in the first seven years they were in California. Until they hit the rice industry.  Then they became a significant problem costing farmers (not those that introduced them) lots of angst.  

It is easy to joke about acclimatization a century later, with the benefit of hindsight.  Today's politicians have the opportunity to apply foresight to this issue and avoid future bloggers having a laugh at their expense.  It seems an extraordinary legacy for a politician to want to leave.

 

Hunting Bill in NSW should be very carefully considered

The New South Wales Parliament looks like it might pass an amendment to the Game and Feral Animal Control Act.  The proposal by the Shooter's Party is a cause for real concern.  The RSPCA have come out today against the Bill and I know of many other groups with concerns.  The Invasive Species Council is dead against it.

Why would a feral animal guy be against shooting of feral animals?

The trouble is, this Bill could encourage the keeping of feral animals for the purpose of recreational shooting.  When one looks down the list of animals in the Schedule, a heck of a lot of them have wings.  How could a Game Keeper ensure these birds will not spread beyond their own place? Take the example of the Canada Goose.  They aren't currently in Australia, but they are a major problem in New Zealand and North America.  Once endangered, this species was the subject of a recovery program - but not all Canada Geese returned to a migratory lifestyle.  "Resident" Canada Geese are a huge amenity problem in many American cities.  They make public parks unusable because as a grazing animal, they have a pretty hopeless digestive system, so they basically are pooping every time the left leg is raised.  Apart from that, they tend to get sucked into jet engines and bring planes down from time-to-time.

AMRRIC - Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities

The Invasive Animals CRC is a member of AMRRIC - Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities because the group is doing important work, mainly in reducing camp dog populations.  Several years ago, the CRC organised for Senestech Inc to present at AMRRIC's "Dogpeople" conference and the similarities between Australian Aboriginal and Native American community issues with dogs were remarkable.  Dogs are wanted in the communities, but often not individually "owned" by a community member, leading to overpopulation.

AMRRIC has an impressive number of research relationships.  They are assisting researchers roll out projects from the Australian Animal Welfare; in conjunction with Melbourne University and a number of other prestigious research organisations.  AMRRIC has hosted some really good conferences, and all the proceedings are available on their website.

If you have an interest in dog management, it's worth getting to know AMRRIC.  The logo above gives a link.

Getting younger people interested in ferals

Our Cooperative Research Centre has been conducting a Community Awareness Survey of Australian's thoughts about feral animals for over 18 months.  Valuemetrics Australia, one of the CRC's small business participants runs the survey with Prof. Julian Cribb, well-known science communicator.

The survey is taken through the internet, with participants recruited to fill in an on-line survey giving us about 500 samples a quarter, or 2,000 a year. We chose to do weekly sampling to see if the survey would be sensitive enough pick up current issues of interest.  Participants are asked to name the top five species of feral animal that concern them ("feral" here can mean a native species - there is room for participants to name their own).  Two species have featured in the public's "top five ferals" every week without fail: the cane toad and the feral cat.  Nine out of ten and seven out of ten Australians rank these species, respectively, in their top five.

These results might be of value in developing policy positions.  For example, one might speculate that Australians would be supportive of greater restrictions on cat ownership because of the high level of concern about feral cats.  In fact, when the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary opened in Canberra last week, there was little comment on the fact that cat ownership in the adjacent suburbs had been restricted.  If you wish to own a cat in the suburbs of Forde or Bonner (and eventually Throsby if it is built), you must keep the cat indoors or provide an enclosed cat run.  This small measure is to try and reduce the burden of cats on local wildlife - and no one seems to mind at all.