Indicator: Pest animal species

| Indicator description | Complete list of Indicators |

What the results tell us for Tumut

See also: | Controlling pest animals |

For a map showing the distribution of pest animals across the Region, Contact us for details of the full report for the Australian Capital Region (available only on CD-ROM).

Rabbits and feral pigs are the two main pest animal species reported for Tumut Shire. Other pests of lesser concern include feral goats and wild dogs.

Pest animal species reported by the Gundagai Rural Lands Protection Board are:

Feral deer
an increasing problem. They tend to be mostly on private land, with some in National Parks and State Forests.
Feral goats
a minor problem only. Populations tend to be mostly on private land, with some pockets in National Parks. Goats tend to be found in the rougher country.
Feral pigs
a significant pest animal. They are however restricted to National Parks and State Forests and their fringes.
Foxes
present within the Shire but they are not regarded as a serious problem by landholders.
Rabbits
populations are most dense in Gilmore Valley, Goobragandra Valley and Wondalga. The majority of the Shire has light to medium density population cover, a third has medium density cover and five per cent has heavy density cover.Wild dogs a problem but tend to be restricted to Kosciuszko National Park and State Forestry boundaries.

In 1997 we reported that little information was available about pest or feral animals in Tumut Shire. Council had previously reported that feral animal species commonly found in the Kosciuszko National Park are impacting on the flora and fauna populations, with Feral Cats Felis catus and Foxes Vulpes vulpes being considered the most destructive, and biological control the preferred method of control.

Lerps (sucking insects that eventually defoliate trees via their feeding) were also reported. Their effects are causing quite significant damage to Eucalypts in Tumut Shire, in particular Blakely's Red Gums E.blakelyi. Control via chemical means is prohibitive due to sheer size of trees and numbers of insects. Information about the progress of research into a more preventative means of control is not available at the time of writing.

About the data

Information was obtained from the following Rural Lands Protection Board
Gundagai RLP Board - Ranger: Ben McDonell, phone 02 6944 1588

Description: What does 'pest animal species' measure?

Which data are collected?
  • distribution and abundance of each pest animal species
Why do we report this indicator?

Pest animals are those species that, because of their numbers, behaviour and/or ability to compete with other species, have caused (or are capable of causing) significant impact on the region's biodiversity, or on the region's primary production. Under certain circumstances, native species can be considered pests (e.g. Eastern Grey Kangaroos). However, most pest animals are not native species.

The distribution and abundance of pest animal species are of interest to State of the Environment reporting because they indicate the pressure on the environment (both natural and agricultural) from the deliberate or accidental introduction of non-local species.

Pest animal species can impact on ecosystems and species by predation, competition for food or breeding areas, from pest-induced habitat changes, or from the transmission of parasites and other disease organisms.

There are many examples of the ways in which pest animal species have impacted on the environment. Cats and foxes are well-known for preying on native birds and livestock. Common Starlings and Common Mynas compete aggressively with hollow-nesting native birds such as parrots. Trout prey on small native fish in mountain streams. Honey-bees compete with native bees, other insects and hollow-utilising animals for food and nesting sites. Rabbits compete with livestock for pasture, and they can eliminate local native plant species and any animals relying on those species. Horses, goats and pigs destroy understorey plants and soil-binding soil algae, leading to soil erosion in ecosystems that evolved without such pressures. Many introduced species in Australia have become pests, mostly as a result of feral populations developed from domestic escapees.

In this Report the focus has been on vertebrate pests. Invertebrate pests, for example the crop-pests red-legged earth mite and insects such as aphids, can also be a significant cause for concern in some parts of the Region. Unfortunately data about invertebrate pests were not available for this Report.