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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