A major control program in South Australia has removed more than 1,600 invasive animals.
The animals were removed from the internationally important Coongie Lakes Ramsar site. The results were among the strongest ever recorded in the region.
During the operation, crews removed:
- 630 feral pigs
- 985 large feral grazing animals such as camels and donkeys
- a small number of feral cats.
This program was supported by the Australian Government's H5 bird flu preparedness investment and delivered by SA Arid Lands Landscape Board.
Supported by further funding, the SA Department of Environment and Water is also working with and the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board and other land managers to significantly expand control activities across the Chowilla-Riverland Ramsar floodplain, another key Ramsar site.
The Riverland provides critical habitat for many native species, including the iconic regent parrot.
Control activities underway include the:
- construction of fences to keep out pigs and other animals like goats and sheep
- control of feral pigs and other pest herbivores.
More than 20 cameras have also been deployed in the region to monitor the success of control efforts.
Feral pigs and other pest species threaten wetlands and floodplains by damaging habitat and preying on birds and their eggs. These impacts are a major concern to these Ramsar sites which support threatened species and tens of thousands of migratory birds each year, such as the curlew sandpiper.
The control efforts come at an important time as SA responds to H5 avian influenza (bird flu). Healthy habitats, with threats removed, can help native species better withstand and recover from H5 bird flu impacts.
The conservation benefits of these operations will last well into the future.
