Pest Animal Management KI Feral Animal Program Australian Government Funded • Eradication of goats and fallow deer • Pig control in the South West river catchment (Grassdale area) • Implement and improve pig management across land tenures. • Increase cat management awareness and trial new feral cat control devices when available • Trial peacock eradication Legislation Feral Pig (Sus scrofa) • Category 3 pest: » Sec 179- Offence to release animals or plants » Sec 181 (1) Requirement to control certain animals or plants (keeping of any animal of that class on that land in captivity) • No legal requirement for landholders to control feral pigs in SA • Pros and cons of strengthening legislation (Sec 182)? Population trends of feral pigs • Rick Southgate dam print and remote camera surveys • 50 forestry properties surveyed from 2008 to 2013 with 398 dams sampled multiple times. • Pig occupancy on properties was found to be dynamic. » Pig occurrence remained relatively static » Colonization occurred in some properties » Extinction occurred in others » Control efforts, food sources and water? What's Been Done: Feral Pig Control KI • Public meetings: 1985 to 2011 • Landholder surveys 1984, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2009 • Feral Pig reports developed from 1984 to 2011; including ‘Managing feral pigs KI 2011’ • KI field day and show day displays • 11 pig bait (hog gone/pig out) and delivery system (boar buffet/hog hopper/tubes) trials: 2003 to 2011 • Population genetic analysis of wild pigs KI • Judas pig trial • Long history of trapping programs, including National Parks & Wildlife 1998 What's Been Done: Feral Pig Control KI • Pig trapping guide • Pig control flow chart • Pig traps available for loan to landholders • Population trends of feral pigs KI 2008 to 2013 (Rick Southgate’s annual dam print/camera survey) • Coordinated land holder pig control programs • On reserve trapping program • Grassdale (South West River control program) • Feasibility trial on feral pig eradication • Feral pig management plan 2008 to 2012 Judas Pigs • The use of Judas pigs has been trialled in other areas with mixed results. • Feral pigs are caught and fitted with a radio tracking device. • The Judas pigs are released and tracked on regular occasions. • Any feral pig located with the Judas animal are shot, leaving the Judas animal to join up with other pigs so the process can be repeated. • In 2010 the KINRMB conducted a Judas pig trial in Grassdale Conservation Park to evaluate its use as a pig control technique on KI. Judas Pigs Judas Pigs for control • Three park closures were arranged. • The pigs were hunted on foot by KINRMB employees. Four radio collared pigs were located within the 800 ha trial zone • 22 Pigs were removed during two hunting periods, none of which were located using Judas pigs. Judas Pigs • Three pigs used in the Judas Pig trial had enough data to map; they used an average of 230 ha over the 4-6 month period with an average maximum distance between locations of 3.6 km. • This was much smaller than that found on the mainland, probably due to abundant food and water providing their needs in a small area. • 3 of the 4 collared pigs stayed around their ‘home’ area, but one pig was located 8 km from its original capture point. Judas Pigs Judas Pigs PIGOUT Baiting Trials 2010 • 28 trial sites on public lands within areas of high pig densities. • Trial was duplicated in dry and wet conditions within the same year • Sites were free fed to attract pigs, and then non-poisonous baits were laid and monitored with motion activated cameras. PIGOUT Baiting Trials Sites PIGOUT Baiting Trials 2010 • In April a total of 19 pigs approached the baits on 8 of the 28 trial sites. Only 3 pigs consumed baits. • In August a total of 13 pigs approached the baits on 7 of the 28 trial sites. Only 1 pig consumed the baits • No significant difference between seasons. (16% and 7% respectively). PIGOUT Bait Consumers PIGOUT Bait Consumers PIGOUT Baiting Trials 2010 A total of 4 pigs consumed baits during the trial Off target species included: • 47 possums • 4 kangaroos • 4 cats • 4 rodents • 2 wallabies • 2 ravens PIGOUT Baiting Trials 2010 Problems with PIGOUT: • Non-target animals eating bait. • Baits taken by non-target animals before pigs get a chance to consume. • Pigs do not initially identify baits as food and need free feeding with grain. • Very expensive $8.00 per toxic bait $2.00 per non-toxic PIGOUT Baiting Trials 2010 Boar Buffet Trials • 4 Buffet trials in areas with high pig densities on forestry, public lands, and private farm lands • Boar Buffets were set up for 42 days • 2 motion sensor cameras were positioned on each site to monitor pig and non target animal behaviours • All other trapping and hunting activities within the property were stopped. • Soaked grain was used to attract pigs with the doors open and then non-poisonous baits were laid and monitored • Once the pigs were feeding freely the doors were closed Boar Buffet Trials Problems with the Boar Buffet : • Pigs took a long time to get used to the device. • Juvenile pigs were easier to lure, older pigs did not feed from the Buffet • Pigs needed soaked grain and baits to encourage feeding • Pigs removed the baits from the buffet and spread them around allowing non targets to eat the baits • Very labour intensive and very low uptake of the toxic baits • Easier to trap Eradication not feasible on KI Bomford and O’Brien (1995) Trapping • Portable NRM pig traps available for loan to landholders • Officers will deliver traps and assist landholders set up traps effectively • Passive control method with the ability to trap high numbers • Time consuming • Mature pigs can become wary of traps • All other hunting needs to stop before and during trapping • Best done when other food sources are not available • Trapping results are variable Trapping Trapping Coordinated Management • Cross-tenure approach essential • Regular communications with landholders • Supportive role only (we don’t have the resources to do all of the work) Future Directions Reduce feral pig impacts to acceptable level • Doing what we can with what we've got! • Improve Knowledge - Populations, movements, habitat use • Continue to promote and encourage coordinated control • Trapping on reserves to support management effort on adjoining private land • Evaluate success through monitoring • Trial new technologies and techniques as they become available What can you do? Reduce feral pig impacts to acceptable level • Consider what you are trying to protect • Work with neighbours and NRKI to coordinate control • Use NRKI traps and advice to get the most out of your efforts • Use a variety of control methods (active or passive) » Trapping, shooting, hunting dogs, attractants • Is your asset, produce worth fencing? Acknowledgements • KI Natural Resources Management Board members and colleagues • Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre • Australian Government • Friends of Parks KI Western Districts • Local Volunteer hunters and trackers • DEWNR • PIRSA • Local Landholders
© Copyright 2024 ExpyDoc
