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Vertebrate Pests
Many introduced and native animals, turned pests, have established large populations across Australia. Pest animals are normally controlled because they impact on agriculture and the environment. Often the extent of feral populations means that eradication is not feasible.
Pest management is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories but the Australian Government plays a role in coordinating pest animal management through the Vertebrate Pest Committee, Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre and the National Feral Animal Control Program.
Vertebrate Pests Committee
The Australian Government, the Australian states and territories, CSIRO and New Zealand are members of the VPC which provides coordinated policy and planning solutions to pest animal issues. The VPC is developing an Australian Pest Animal Strategy which is expected to be completed in late 2006.
The VPC also operates technical working groups that include the National Cane Toad Working Group and the Animal Welfare Working Group. The committee works with the National Land and Water Resources Audit and the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre to develop pest animal-related categories to measure the extent and impact of invasive species.
Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre
The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre aims to counteract the impact of invasive animals through the new technologies and through cooperation across agencies and jurisdictions. The centre is a partnership between industry, environmental, commercial and government agencies.
National Feral Animal Control Program
The National Feral Animal Control Program is supported through the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust and is managed by the Bureau of Rural Sciences. It was established to reduce the damage to agriculture caused by pest animals.
The program helped develop a free website about pest animals: the Pest Portal. The website provides information on current and past research to help in making management decisions.
Link to Bureau of Rural Sciences Agricultural Pests and Feral Animals research webpage.