Download Nature Notes - Phillip Island Nature Parks

phillip island nature park
Nature
Notes
Pest Animals
A range of pest animals exist on Phillip Island. Foxes,
feral and roaming cats and dogs are a threat to
wildlife. Rabbits are widespread and dramatically
impact on the habitat and revegetation within Phillip
Island Nature Park (PINP). Introduced birds such as
Indian Mynas and feral bees are also problem species
to the fragile Phillip Island ecosystem.
Foxes: Aiming for Island wide eradication
Roaming dogs and European Red Foxes are major
threats to the Little Penguin population on Phillip
Island. Fox predation is the greatest land-based threat
to the Summerland Little Penguin colony. Over the
past 25 years, nearly 3400 Little Penguins have been
killed by foxes due to the ‘surplus kill’, ‘thrill kill’ or
‘multiple killing’ behavior of the fox i.e. killing more
animals than it immediately needs for food. For
example, one individual fox has been recorded killing
60 penguins in a night and around 200 -300 penguins
over just a few months before it was caught.
An intensive fox control program was commenced
in the mid 1980s, and this resulted in the culling of
Phillip Island Nature Park
PO Box 97, Cowes, Victoria, 3922
5951 2800
[email protected]
www.penguins.org.au
The
PERILS of
FERALS
over a 1000 foxes. This intensive culling dramatically
reduced the fox population and has helped see an
increase in ground nesting birds on Phillip Island.
The number of foxes per hectare is less than a quarter
on Phillip Island compared to mainland Australia,
however, the effect of even that low number can
still be devastating on local wildlife. The successes
of the intensive culling program led PINP rangers,
local farmers and PINP Board to develop the Strategy
for the eradication of foxes from Phillip Island. Now
complete fox eradication is the goal as foxes have
the ability to build up numbers relatively rapidly.
The mainland fox population originated from as few
as 4-6 foxes, released in the late 1860s, but today
comprises of millions of foxes.
Dogs: prohibited within the sensitive areas of PINP
During 1984 to 1989, roaming dogs were responsible
for nearly 200 Little Penguin deaths. However, due to
exclusion of dogs in the Summerland Peninsula from
1989 onwards, less than 10 penguins have been killed
by dogs.
phillip island nature park
Nature
Notes
The
PERILS of
FERALS
Cats: where is your cat now?
Cats, whether feral or domestic, instinctively kill native
wildlife including birds, mammals (such as possums),
reptiles and amphibians. When PINP was formed in
1996, a cat management strategy was implemented on
all Nature Park land (20 % of Phillip Island). Since that
time, over 800 feral cats have been eradicated from the
Nature Park.
Rabbits: the costly environmental pest
The European Rabbit is a major environmental pest.
Rabbits directly compete with many native animals for
food and shelter and have dramatic negative effects on
native flora through ring barking, grazing and browsing.
An interesting link exists between rabbits, foxes and
cats and thus a holistic approach is required in their
management
The Environment will win!
The management of pest species within PINP has
seen an increase in the number of Hooded Plovers,
Cape Barren Geese and Short-tailed Shearwater
breeding on Phillip Island. In the future, when Phillip
Island is completely pest animal free, especially fox
free small to medium sized animal species which are
extinct on Phillip Island may be reintroduced. Species
such as the Long-nosed Potoroo, Southern Bettong,
Pademelon Wallaby and Eastern-barred Bandicoots,
for example, could once more become both abundant
and widely distributed.
Phillip Island Nature Park
PO Box 97, Cowes, Victoria, 3922
5951 2800
[email protected]
www.penguins.org.au
Pest Plants
Ninety percent of the native vegetation on Phillip
Island has been cleared for farming and housing.
Non-native plants such as those used for cropping,
pasture and gardens were introduced in their place.
As weeds may be spread by wind, water, animals and
people there are now 209 weeds recorded within PINP,
including five ‘Weeds of National Significance’ and 26
state declared noxious weeds. Weeds are one of the
greatest threats to flora and fauna within PINP. Within
PINP weeds out-compete native plants, displace native
plants and animals, reduce the productivity of our
bush and wetlands and harbor introduced animals
such as foxes and rabbits.
phillip island nature park
Nature
Notes
Management strategies
PINP manages the eradication of regionally
prohibited weeds and aims to prevent the spread
of regionally controlled weeds. Garden escapes and
non-indigenous plantings are also a problem in
parts of PINP. To help combat weeds in a coordinated
manner, a weed strategy has been developed that
sets priorities, develops partnerships and allocates
resources for weed management.
Techniques employed
PINP weed management strategies incorporate the
utilization of herbicides (spot or boom spray, cut and
paint, drill and fill etc), hand control (such as weeding,
seed removal, back burning and ring barking),
mechanical control (backhoe, bulldozer, brush cutters
and slashers), cultivation and competition. Species
specific techniques are utilized to manage weeds and
weed control measures are undertaken with careful
The
PERILS of
FERALS
consideration of the breeding season of indigenous
species such as the Little Penguin and Short-tailed
Shearwater.
Revegetation
A full time revegetation officer coordinates the
collection of indigenous seeds and cuttings,
propagation of seedlings and planting programs
to rehabilitate damaged ecosystems and enhance
endangered plant species. Volunteers from all over
the world as well as the local community assist with
this program.
Priority weed species. The following is a list of priority
weed species in general park locations, based on their
threat to wildlife habitat and ability to spread.
Location
Common Name
Species
Park Priorities
Apple of Sodom
Solanum Linnaeanum
Blackberry
Rubis fruticosus spp. agg.
Boneseed
Chrysanthemoides monilifera
African Box-thorn
Lycium ferocissimum
Cape Ivy
Delairea odorata
Furze
Ulex europaeus
Kikuyu
Pennisetum clandestinum
Polygala
Polygala virgata
Ragwort
Senecio jacobaea
African Box-thorn
Lycium ferocissimum
Kikuyu
Pennisetum clandestinum
Furze
Ulex europaeus
Fat Hen
Chenopodium album
Furze
Ulex europaeus
Sweet Pittosporum
Pittosporum undulatum
Polygala
Polygala virgata
Garden Escapes (eg Agapanthus)
Various
Kikuyu
Pennisetum clandestinum
Thistles (Spear, Californian, Shore)
Various
African Box-thorn
Lycium ferocissimum
Kikuyu
Pennisetum clandestinum
Apple of Sodom
Solanum Linnaeanum
Fat Hen
Chenopodium album
Furze
Ulex europaeus
Bridal Creeper
Myrsiph- Ilum asparagoides
Thistle
Various
Sweet Pittosporum
Pittosporum undulatum
Kikuyu
Pennisetum clandestinum
Summerland Peninsula
Summerland Estate
Churchill Island
Cape Woolamai
KCC & Rhyll area
Phillip Island Nature Park
PO Box 97, Cowes, Victoria, 3922
5951 2800
[email protected]
www.penguins.org.au