FERAL ANIMALS

A section of the feral free fence at Scotia.

Scotia Sanctuary is 65,000 ha in area. It contains 11 distinct ecosystems. It is home to 20 species of mammals, 145 species of birds, 47 species of reptiles and 2 species of amphibians, (and a number of volunteers). At least 44 of these species are on the threatened wildlife list; and there are 9 known threatened plant species. Currently there is 12,000 ha on the property which has been fenced off and is feral free. These feral free areas are vital for endangered wildlife populations to allow them to stabilise and begin to grow. The pressures put onto these populations by feral predators and introduced pests can mean the difference between extinction and survival of the species. For example, one of the last two remaining mainland populations of Mala in the wild were wiped out by a single fox. Of course, these fences can't keep out all predators, owls and birds of prey can still take some victims. 

Feral goats are a widespread pest in Australia

Two of the common feral pests found around Scotia are goats and feral cats. Goats are estimated to roam over more than a quarter of Australia and they are plentiful over a wide area here. They have a major effect on native vegetation, not only by overgrazing but also by the soil damage they cause. Goats can also disperse weeds by carrying seeds in their droppings. They also do considerable damage fouling waterholes. While goats are not a predator they do have a negative carry-over effect on native populations by disrupting and destroying the environment the native population rely upon for survival and by competing for the resources those animals need.

Feral cats, to my mind, pose the biggest threat to Australian wildlife. There are an estimated 12 to 18 million feral cats. An individual cat may kill between 1 and 15 lizards, birds or small mammals a night. If we calculate the total number of wildlife killed on a regular basis it is no wonder cats are credited with driving many species of native fauna into extinction. One study found that even individual domestic cats were killing around 50 birds a year. Another study found that in a surveyed test area cats were killing over half the bird population in a year and disrupting the production of young so that the bird population was relying on birds coming from outside that area to keep the population viable. It is not difficult to imagine the entire population of mala at Scotia being wiped out by feral cats if it wasn't for the feral free fence being in place. AWC continues to fence more areas with these fences and there is always plenty of work for volunteers erecting fences.

Rabbits used to be widespread and in plague proportions.

An interesting project is happening in southern Queensland where wild dogs are a problem to sheep graziers. In the past wild dogs have been shot, trapped or baited. A pack of dogs might kill up to 30 sheep in one attack, and some farmers were losing as many as 700 sheep in a season. To combat these dog attacks graziers are now putting wild donkeys in with the sheep. The donkeys bond with the mob and then protect them. The donkeys themselves are from feral stock in the Northern Territory where they are a pest and exist in their thousands. So far 128 donkeys have been transported to southern Queensland.