Vertebrate pest species cause environmental and agricultural impacts by damaging native vegetation and crops, damaging waterways, competing with native wildlife and stock and as a potential carrier of exotic diseases.
Vertebrate pest species
Feral deer are an increasing environmental and agricultural threat in the ACT with populations of fallow, red and sambar deer within Namadgi National Park, river corridor reserves and Canberra Nature Park. Although deer have been present in low numbers in the Territory for a considerable period, there has been an increase to the known distribution and abundance of all three species in recent years.
Feral deer have the capacity to colonise urban bushland reserves, posing a range of problems from environmental impacts (such as damaging riparian areas, browsing on endangered plants, adding additional grazing pressure, impacting on water quality through wallowing, and killing young trees by antler rubbing) through to road hazards and damage to gardens.
Feral pigs are widely distributed, at low densities, throughout the non-urban parks and reserves managed by the ACT Parks and Conservation Service and across rural lands.
Ground disturbance by pigs creates bare ground, contributing to erosion and weed invasion as well as causing loss of visual amenity for park visitors. On rural land they plough up pasture, damage fencing and are a potential vector for several serious endemic and exotic livestock diseases.
Learn more about feral pig biosecurity concerns.
Feral horses pose a significant threat to the natural values of the Namadgi National Park, particularly the sensitive sub-alpine wetlands of the Cotter River catchment in the ACT-NSW border region.
Learn more about feral horse biosecurity concerns and feral horse management.
In land adjoining to rural properties, wild dogs are controlled for their economic and wellbeing impact on graziers.
Learn about wild dog management in the ACT.
Rabbit control helps to protect the ACT’s environmental values, primary production, and urban landscapes.
Learn about rabbit control in the ACT.
Management policy
The ACT Parks and Conservation Service has a strong working relationship with the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service and a collaborative approach to management issues across the Australian Alps National Parks.
Management of invasive pest animals is guided by the ACT Pest Animal Management Strategy, which details a strategic approach aimed at a reduction of impacts caused by pest animals.
Feral horses are managed in accordance with the Namadgi National Park Feral Horse Management Plan.
Management tools
Across management tools, animal welfare is a priority. All activities are undertaken in accordance with best practice and humane control of feral animals.
A wide range of techniques are used to control the impacts of vertebrate pests. The aim of control programs is always to control the impact of the pest species. A full range of the control techniques and associated Codes of Practice and Standard Operating Procedures are available online at the Pestsmart website.
Thermal aerial control, which uses heat detection technology to locate animals from helicopters, is considered a cost effective and humane method of controlling invasive animals, particularly large herbivores. It is routinely used by other state government agencies as an effective pest control method.
The ACT aerial control program reduces the risk of further destruction caused by Sambar deer, pigs and horses to natural regenerative processes of fire impacted riparian vegetation and alpine bog and fen communities.
For the safety of visitors, public areas are closed during operations. Safety precautions such as buffer zones, signage and sweeps are implemented prior to all operations.
2023 program
The 2023 ACT thermal assisted aerial control program is funded by the Australian Government Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program.
Find out more about the 2023 aerial control program.
Ground shooting, whilst not an effective primary control method, can be an important component of an integrated pest management program. The use of thermal technology significantly increases the efficacy and efficiency of ground shooting. Thermal ground shooting is utilised in conjunction with other techniques to control rabbit and deer populations in the ACT.
The team at Namadgi National Park have implemented a feral pig baiting and trapping program for more than 30 years. The program was responsible for a significant decrease in the feral pig population at its commencement and concerted annual effort maintains feral pigs at a relatively low density across the park. This ground control program continues in conjunction with the thermal aerial control as part of an integrated management program.
More information
For information on threatened species and ecological communities in the ACT, visit the Conservation and Ecological Communities webpage.