Download PestSmart Case Study: Northern Sydney regional fox baiting program

CASE STUDY:
Northern Sydney regional
fox baiting program
Case study on a cooperative fox control program
conducted across urban areas in New South Wales.
Introduction: The northern Sydney
region features a substantial area of
interconnecting bushland reserves and
parks, which host a diverse range of native
animal species and an increasing population
of pest animals. Fauna surveys done in the
area suggest that predation by foxes is a
major cause of the decline in some species
of native animals. Fox control programs
using box traps have been attempted in the
past but have been limited in their success.
Shooting and baiting with 1080 were not
able to be done as they posed safety risks
to the general public and pets, and their
application was restricted.
In 1998, the Urban Feral Animal Action
Group was formed and a regional feral
animal management strategy was developed
with support from government agencies,
local councils, catchment management
committees, wildlife care groups, heritage
and conservation societies and the general
community. The NSW Fox Threat Abatement
Plan (Fox TAP) was also developed at this
time. Two priority Fox TAP sites were
identified in the area: the first in Ku-ring-gai
Chase and Garigal National Parks to protect
the threatened southern brown bandicoot
(Isoodon obesculus), and the second at North
Head to protect endangered populations of
little penguins (Eudyptula minor) and longnosed bandicoots (Perameles nasuta).
A special permit was sought from the
Australian
Pesticides
and
Veterinary
Medicines Authority (APVMA) to shorten
distance restriction requirements and allow
1080 fox baits to be laid within specific
bushland reserves across the region. This
pest control order (PCO) was approved
in 1999, and the first cooperative baiting
program began in February 2000. A number
of changes to the PCO in later years has
allowed for baiting in all reserves, with
distance requirements reduced, continuous
baiting programs allowed in specific areas for
biodiversity conservation, and notification
requirements simplified to allow public
notices to be used when there are more than
25 neighbours.
Aims: To reduce the number of foxes in the
Sydney North region for the long term and
minimise their impact on native animals,
including threatened species.
The program also aims to:
•reduce fox attacks on animals in zoos,
refuges and research facilities
•raise community awareness of urban foxes
and the problems they cause
•investigate the effectiveness of fox control
methods in urban settings
•complement existing bushland management
activities across the region.
Partners and management: Originally
six councils (Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, Pittwater,
Ryde, Warringah and Willoughby) and the
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
(NPWS) were involved in the program.
In later years, this expanded to include
another seven local councils (Parramatta,
Lane Cove, Hunters Hill, Mosman, North
Sydney, Manly and Hills Shire), and many
other organisations such as NSW Forests,
Taronga Zoo, Macquarie University, Bidjigal
Reserve Trust, Sydney Harbour Federation
Trust, Cumberland Livestock Health and
Pest Authority, Sydney Metro Catchment
Management Authority (CMA), Hawkesbury
Nepean CMA, Roads and Maritime Services
and Railcorp.
Funding for the program is provided by the
Fox Threat Abatement process in NPWS and
individual council funds.
View towards the city from North
Head. Image: NSW NPWS
CASE STUDY: Northern Sydney
regional fox baiting program
Case study on a cooperative fox control program conducted across
urban areas in New South Wales.
Process: Baiting programs are run by the
NPWS and participating councils twice a year
at most of the bushland reserves and parks
across the area. The priority Fox TAP sites
are generally baited four times a year and
some sites, such as the Ku-rin-gai Wildflower
Garden, are baited continuously.
Reserves are closed during baiting. Warning
signs are erected at entrances and along
boundaries of reserves and officers regularly
patrol the areas. Neighbours are notified
through public notices and letterbox drops.
Baits are buried about 10 cm deep and at
least 400 m apart in established sand plot
baiting stations, adjacent to tracks and
trails. Free-feeding occurs at all sites for a
minimum of three days to identify if any nontarget species are going to take baits. Baits
are checked daily in most council reserves.
Where baiting is continuous, baits are
laid every six weeks. All bait programs are
subject to a risk assessment, with the most
significant risk being the taking of baits by
domestic dogs and native wildlife.
Both baited and non-baited areas within the
priority Fox TAP sites are regularly monitored.
Fox activity is monitored 2–4 times a year using
sand plots. The southern brown bandicoot
population is monitored using trapping in
spring and cameras in autumn, and the longnosed bandicoot population is monitored
using cage traps twice a year. Little penguin
colonies are checked fortnightly throughout
the breeding season (June—February) to
collect information on active nests, number
of breeding pairs, eggs, chicks and fledglings.
Features of the study: This program
involves considerable coordination and
cost sharing between agencies. Community
relations are a priority, with widespread
notification campaigns and thorough risk
assessment procedures and protocols. Strict
baiting procedures are followed, with regular
training programs for all agency staff.
Monitoring is also an important component,
with scientific surveys of threatened native
animals and local fox populations done
regularly.
Results: Due to the small population sizes of
the threatened species in the area, monitoring
results from the priority Fox TAP sites have been
unable to provide any conclusive evidence of
the recovery of these species.
However, there has been an increase in the
number of sightings of swamp wallabies,
bandicoots, possums, lyrebirds, brush turkeys
and quail by staff, park visitors and neighbours.
There have also been fewer attacks reported
in zoos and animal refuges.
What worked:
•Coordination and cooperation between
councils and other agencies has been a
highlight of the program and has meant
that costs can be shared.
•Extensive community consultation, along
with a strong risk management plan, has
helped minimise any unwanted outcomes
or negative publicity.
•Reduced distance restrictions of 1080 baiting
has increased the efficiency of the program.
What didn’t work:
Residents information day.
Image: NSW NPWS
•There is limited opportunity to control
areas outside of bushland reserves (eg
industrial estates and residential areas),
and the ongoing recruitment of animals
from these non-baited areas reduces the
effectiveness of the program.
•Wet weather regularly interrupts the
program, causing bait breakdown and
limited access to many of the baiting sites,
reducing the effectiveness of the program.
•Increased public awareness of the fox problem
can lead to an unrealistic expectation that
fox control will be immediate.
Conclusion: This program has achieved its
aim of raising community awareness about
urban foxes and the problems they cause.
Although there is only anecdotal evidence
that threatened species populations might
be recovering, this program has provided
many opportunities to improve fox control
methods, particularly in urban settings.
Fox control is not the core business for many
of the partners involved in this project,
which, along with competing priorities, makes
it difficult to get long-term commitment of
resources, staff and budget. The cooperation
of partner organisations is influenced by
many factors, including the opinions of their
managers, as well as public and political
opinions of the day. The turnover of staff
and their mixed level of knowledge and skills
make training a constant priority. These
issues will need to be addressed to secure
the long-term future of this program.
www.feral.org.au/pestsmart/
Fox at a bait station.
Image: NSW NPWS
More information
Read:
PestSmart Toolkit for Foxes
www.feral.org/pestsmart/foxes/
Contact:
Mel Hall
Senior Ranger (Pests)
NPWS Metro North East
02 9472 8953
[email protected]
Produced August 2012
FXCS7