There are a number of declared pest animal species which landholders may encounter on their properties on the Far South Coast. These animals cause significant environmental damage through destruction of vegetation, spreading weeds, predation on native animals, fouling of waterholes, soil disturbance and erosion. Some of these species are currently declared pests in NSW and landholders have an obligation to control them on their land. These include:
- wild rabbits
- wild dogs
- feral pigs
- foxes (European Red)
More information about these species and how to control them can be found at the South East Local Land Services website and the NSW Department of Primary Industries website.
Other species which have a serious impact on our local environment are feral cats, feral deer and feral goats. However, these are not declared pests in NSW.
FeralScan (www.feralscan.org.au) is a community website that allows you to map sightings of pest animals and record the problems they are causing in your local area.
Local community efforts to control pest animals
On the Far South Coast, landholders are cooperating to control pest animals in a coordinated way. The Potoroo Project helps landholders monitor and bait foxes in areas that are known or likely to have potoroo populations, such as in our coastal forests. This coordinated action is having positive effects on potoroo numbers as well as other species like threatened shorebirds. For information on this project, contact Olivia Forge from the Bega Office of South East Local Land Services on 02 6491 7800.
Common (Indian) myna
The Common (Indian) myna is another pest species that is being controlled through community action. These birds use tree hollows for nest sites and compete aggressively for those hollows with our preferred native fauna species. Landholders have been helping to identify and trap mynas with the assistance of the Common Myna Task Force. For more information, visit the Far South Coast Birdwatchers’ website.
