❓ The Minister for Environment updates the house on expanded feral cat control programs, including the Eradicat program and integration with Western Shield, with significant funding from both state and federal governments, focusing on key locations and benefiting threatened species.
AnsweredQoN 625Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FLORA AND
FAUNA — THREATENED SPECIES MANAGEMENT
625. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the
Minister for Environment:
I understand that threatened species protection is a key
priority of the state government and that programs to deal with introduced
predators are being expanded. Could the minister please update the house on
this work?
FAUNA — THREATENED SPECIES MANAGEMENT
625. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the
Minister for Environment:
I understand that threatened species protection is a key
priority of the state government and that programs to deal with introduced
predators are being expanded. Could the minister please update the house on
this work?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Eyre for the question. Indeed, of all
the pressures that our threatened native species face in Western Australia,
most people recognise that the greatest pressure is from feral cats, in
particular on native marsupials and small birds. I advised the house earlier
this year that our new Eradicat program has now been licensed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority and
is underway. I am pleased to advise the house this afternoon that new feral cat
control projects to the value of almost $2 million will be underway in Western Australia
this year—that is, $2 million in excess of the existing program under
Western Shield, which the Department of Parks and Wildlife has already been
running.
The Australian government, through its new threatened species
strategy, has provided $1.7 million in funding to integrate this new feral cat
control program with our existing landscape–scale fox control program
as part of this government's well-recognised and fantastic Western
Shield program. This new top-up of $1.7 million will focus on integrating the
new Eradicat cat bait in four key locations in the state, in particular Peerup
sanctuary near Manjimup, which has a focus on the woylie; Dryandra Woodland
near Narrogin, which of course includes the numbats; Kalbarri National Park,
heading up into more arid areas; and also a number of locations along the south
coast of the member for Eyre's own electorate, including the Fitzgerald
River National Park. This significant funding, on top of the state's
already existing and ongoing annual commitment, will involve the baiting with
this new Eradicat feral cat bait in around 850 000 hectares of conservation
lands. Native animals that will benefit from this program include, as I said,
the woylies and numbats. Also on the south coast of the member for Eyre's
electorate it includes in particular the western ground parrot, Gilbert's
potoroo and the black-flanked rock wallaby. Indeed, an estimated 53 Western Australian
species in existence today are believed to have survived extinction as a result
of this ongoing Western Shield program. A further Australian government funding
commitment of $250 000 will allow the trial of a modified bait, which is called
''Hisstory''—I am not sure about the name of the bait.
However, it will be a combination of Eradicat and the newly developed Curiosity
cat bait. That program will focus on how the modified bait will roll out in the
Kimberley, particularly looking at impacts on northern quolls where there is a
quite geographical separation from the south west, the midwest and those arid
areas. Also, this further $250 000 will enable a focus on involving Bunuba
Aboriginal rangers, who will be trained in feral cat management. I am proud to
acknowledge and recognise the widespread baiting in Western Australia under the
Western Shield program, which was first commenced in 1996 under a then
Liberal-led government. This program resulted in its initial years in a more
than 55 per cent reduction in the number of foxes and, as I said, 53 species
are still in existence today as a direct result of this program.
the pressures that our threatened native species face in Western Australia,
most people recognise that the greatest pressure is from feral cats, in
particular on native marsupials and small birds. I advised the house earlier
this year that our new Eradicat program has now been licensed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority and
is underway. I am pleased to advise the house this afternoon that new feral cat
control projects to the value of almost $2 million will be underway in Western Australia
this year—that is, $2 million in excess of the existing program under
Western Shield, which the Department of Parks and Wildlife has already been
running.
The Australian government, through its new threatened species
strategy, has provided $1.7 million in funding to integrate this new feral cat
control program with our existing landscape–scale fox control program
as part of this government's well-recognised and fantastic Western
Shield program. This new top-up of $1.7 million will focus on integrating the
new Eradicat cat bait in four key locations in the state, in particular Peerup
sanctuary near Manjimup, which has a focus on the woylie; Dryandra Woodland
near Narrogin, which of course includes the numbats; Kalbarri National Park,
heading up into more arid areas; and also a number of locations along the south
coast of the member for Eyre's own electorate, including the Fitzgerald
River National Park. This significant funding, on top of the state's
already existing and ongoing annual commitment, will involve the baiting with
this new Eradicat feral cat bait in around 850 000 hectares of conservation
lands. Native animals that will benefit from this program include, as I said,
the woylies and numbats. Also on the south coast of the member for Eyre's
electorate it includes in particular the western ground parrot, Gilbert's
potoroo and the black-flanked rock wallaby. Indeed, an estimated 53 Western Australian
species in existence today are believed to have survived extinction as a result
of this ongoing Western Shield program. A further Australian government funding
commitment of $250 000 will allow the trial of a modified bait, which is called
''Hisstory''—I am not sure about the name of the bait.
However, it will be a combination of Eradicat and the newly developed Curiosity
cat bait. That program will focus on how the modified bait will roll out in the
Kimberley, particularly looking at impacts on northern quolls where there is a
quite geographical separation from the south west, the midwest and those arid
areas. Also, this further $250 000 will enable a focus on involving Bunuba
Aboriginal rangers, who will be trained in feral cat management. I am proud to
acknowledge and recognise the widespread baiting in Western Australia under the
Western Shield program, which was first commenced in 1996 under a then
Liberal-led government. This program resulted in its initial years in a more
than 55 per cent reduction in the number of foxes and, as I said, 53 species
are still in existence today as a direct result of this program.
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