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A number of species are known to prey on bandicoots, including cats Carnivores such as foxes and dogs are known to be particularly susceptible to 1080. Baits can be prepared that are lethal to foxes while relatively safe to most wildlife species. 4. Broad scale fox control programs It is recommended that before and during a fox control program: • contact your local Animal and Plant Control Board and adjacent land mangers, • identify the problem, • plan the baiting event, • notify neighbours and erect warning signs, • encourage participation from neighbours, • bury baits at least 500 m apart (4-6 baits / 100 ha), • record and replace taken baits, • pick up baits at the end of the program. Fox control has been conducted on reserves by government agencies and by private land holders in conjunction with Animal and Plant Control Boards. Main points • Foxes, cats and dogs prey upon bandicoots. • Fox control outside of an integrated pest control program may lead to an increase in cats and rabbits. • Participate in and / or support broad scale, integrated fox control programs with your local Animal and Plant Control Board and land managers. 3. Monitoring effectiveness The effectiveness of a fox baiting program is often monitored through the proportion of baits taken as a representation fox numbers. However, foxes may cache a number of baits from multiple sites. Non-target species also excavate and consume baits. Hence, bait take may not provide an accurate estimation of program success. A better approach to monitoring the effectiveness of fox baiting programs is to focus on the change in damage foxes cause. A suitable monitoring program would investigate the change in distribution and / or abundance of small mammals within the area. Heinsohn, G. 1966. Ecology and Reproduction of the Tasmanian Bandicoots (Perameles gunnii and Isoodon obesulus). Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 80: 1-95 Rees, M. & D. Paull. 2000. Distribution of the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in the Portland region of south-western Victoria. Wildl. Res. 27: 539-545. • Incorporate monitoring into pest control programs to assess the value of baiting programs for native wildlife. Read, J. & Z., Bowen. 2001. Population dynamics, diet and aspects of the biology of feral cats and foxes in arid South Australia. Wildl. Res. 28: 195-203. • Be a responsible cat and dog owner. Friend G. 1978. A comparison of predator scat analysis with conventional techniques in a mammal survey of contrasting habitats in Gippsland, Victoria. Aust. Wildl. Res. 5: 75-83 Catling, P. & R., Burt. 1999. Establishment of predator and critical weight range species monitoring procedures and survey in the South-east forests. CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology. Canberra. Southern Brown Bandicoots are omnivores and consume a wide variety of invertebrates and plant material (eg spiders, mites, slaters, centipedes, bugs, beetles, fleas, flies, moths and butterflies, grasses, seeds, clover root nodules, blackberries, moss and Gasteromycete and Zygomycete fungi). Southern Brown Bandicoots are able to consume 2 or 3 baits containing 3 mg of 1080 poison. It is recommended that fox baiting programs in the Mount Lofty Ranges use a bait density of 4 to 6 baits per 100 hectares or one fox bait every 500 m. Given the home range of a resident bandicoot is generally between 1 and 6 hectares, it is unlikely that more than one bait would ordinarily be available to each bandicoot. Lobert, B. 1990. Home range and activity period of the Southern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in a Victorian heathland. IN Bandicoots and Bilbies. Eds Seebeck, J., Brown, P., Wills, R. and C. Kemper. Surrey Beatty and Sons Pty Ltd. Chipping Norton. Peter Bird, Animal and Plant Control Commission, Personal communication. Quin, D. 1985. Observations on the diet of the Southern Brown Bandicoot, Isoodon obesulus (Marsupialia: Peramelidae), in southern Tasmania. Aust. Mammal. 11: 1525 Responsible pet ownership Cats are known to prey on bandicoots. Suitable feral cat control may be required in areas known to be occupied by Southern Brown Bandicoots. As feral cat abundance may increase following the control of foxes in an area, an integrated pest control program should be adopted. While feral and stray cats may cause most cat related bandicoot deaths, native mammals are threatened by predation from domestic cats. Dogs have been reported to predate Southern Brown Bandicoots. The impact of cats and dogs on bandicoots can be minimised by adopting responsible ownership of cats and dogs as promoted by organisations including the Dog and Cat Management Board, RSPCA, Animal Welfare League, Councils and NPWSA. PDF created with FinePrint pdfFactory trial version http://www.pdffactory.com Key recommendations for responsible pet ownership include: • desex pets unless they are intended to be used for breeding, • confine pets to the house or yard, particularly at night, • remove, adopt or desex feral or stray cats before they breed, • identify your pets so they can be returned to you if they roam. For more information about responsible pet ownership, ring your local Council or visit: www.dogsncats.asn.au References Copley, P., Read, V., Robinson, A., & C. Watts. 1990. Preliminary studies of the Nuyts Archipelago Bandicoot Isoodon obesulus nauticus on the Franklin Islands, South Australia. IN Bandicoots and Bilbies. Eds Seebeck, J., Brown, P., Wills, R. and C. Kemper. Surrey Beatty and Sons Pty Ltd. Chipping Norton. Fairbridge D., Fisher P., Busana F., Pontin K., Edwards A., Johnston M. & M. Shaw. 2000. Observations of the behaviour of free living bush rat, Rattus fuscipes and southern brown bandicoot, Isoodon obesulus at buried bait stations. Aust. Mammal. 22: 125-127 McIlroy, J. 1983. The sensitivity of Australian animals to 1080 poison VI. Bandicoots. Aust. Wildl. Res. 10: 507-512. Twigg L., King D. & R. Mead. 1990. Tolerance to fluoroacetate of populations of Isoodon spp. and Macrotis lagotis and its implications for fauna management. IN Seebeck J., Brown P, Wallis R. and C. Kemper (eds) Bandicoots and Bilbies. Surrey Beatty and Sons, NSW Linton, V. 2001. Spotlight on foxes: A guide for all land managers with an interest in fox control. Primary Industries and Resources South Australia . Haby, N.. 2002. Draft Interim Southern Brown Bandicoot Recovery Plan for the Mount Lofty Rang es. Department for Environment and Heritage de Tores, P. 1999. Control and Ecology of the Red Fox in Western Australia – Prey Response to 1080 Baiting Over Large Areas. Environment Australia. Environment Australia 1999. Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by Feral Cats. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, ACT Deb Kelly, National Parks and Wildlife SA, Personal Communication. Bandicoots and introduced predators Southern Brown Bandicoots are the last remaining species of bandicoots and bilbies naturally occurring in South Australia. Recently listed as a nationally endangered species, the Southern Brown Bandicoot is under threat in the Mount Lofty Ranges. Threats include predation of Southern Brown Bandicoots by introduced predators such as Foxes and Cats. Impact of predators on bandicoots A number of species are known to prey on Southern Brown Bandicoots including Owls, Tiger Snakes, diurnal birds of prey, dogs, foxes and cats. Key Contacts National Parks and Wildlife SA General Enquires Phone: 08 8204 9000 Nature Foundation SA Inc General Enquires Phone: 1300 366 191 Mount Lofty Ranges Catchment Centre Upper Level, Cnr Mann & Walker Streets Mount Barker SA 5251 Ph: 08 8391 7500 Fax: 08 8391 7524 Fleurieu Animal and Plant Control Board PO Box 781 Willunga SA 5172 Ph: 08 8556 4500 Fax: 08 8556 4499 Barossa Ranges Animal and Plant Control Board PO Box 295 Angaston SA 5353 Ph: 08 8563 8444 Fax: 08 8563 8461 Mount Lofty Ranges Animal and Plant Control Board 1 Adelaide-Lobethal Road Lobethal SA 5241 Ph: 08 8389 6166 Fax: 08 8389 6155 Southern Brown Bandicoot Artists: Alicia Haby and Belinda Cale PDF created with FinePrint pdfFactory trial version http://www.pdffactory.com Introduced foxes and cats are known to generally rely on the introduced rabbit as their primary food source. However, both foxes and cats switch to consuming a variety of native wildlife, including species of mammals, birds and reptiles, when rabbit numbers become less abundant in an area. Foxes and cats also have the ability to hunt species, such as Southern Brown Bandicoots, in areas where bandicoots are relatively uncommon. Predation by foxes and cats has become one of the processes threatening the survival of Southern Brown Bandicoots. 1. Integrated pest control Fox control needs to be part of an integrated pest control program to be effective. Fox control and monitoring programs interstate have found that the removal of foxes from an area leads to a decline in fox abundance and an increase in cat abundance. It was also found that a) low understorey complexity is related to a decline in diversity and abundance of small and medium sized mammals, and b) that disturbance is followed by an increase in exotic species, including rabbits. Foxes are widespread in the Mount Lofty Ranges and only a well-designed ongoing program will provide long-term benefits to native wildlife. Programs should identify and assess the impact foxes relative to other threatening processes and ensure the program has the long term capacity to address the threat. Fox baiting programs are most effective when, a) conducted at a broad scale, b) over a long time frame, c) integrated with other pest control programs, and d) conducted at least during spring, summer and autumn when fox numbers are higher than normal. It is also important to adopt suitable monitoring programs, where possible, to identify the value of baiting foxes for native wildlife. To benefit native wildlife and the habitat that supports them, fox control programs need be established with rabbit control programs to prevent an increase in rabbit numbers. Feral cat control and increased awareness of responsible domestic cat ownership is also important. Fox control program design 3. Safe 1080 bait spacing A number of factors need to be considered prior to the establishment of an effective pest control program. Foxes are most effectively controlled using baits containing the poison sodium fluoroacetate (1080). Government of South Australia