Protecting Possums through Feral Control

The Torbay Catchment Group has secured 3 years of funding through the State NRM Community Stewardship program, aimed at protecting habitat, raising awareness and surveying populations of critically endangered Western Ringtail Possums.

Included is an integrated feral animal control program which received praise by the State NRM panel stating that “This project represents an important contribution to feral animal control in Western Australia” The program includes support for the annual Torbay Community Fox Shoot, subsidised 1080 baiting training and accreditation workshops and feral animal awareness events. Support is provided to assist experienced local shooters to remove foxes and feral cats on private properties in the area and to collect fox and possum data.

Another very important aspect of feral control program is reinstating 1080 baiting and trapping in West Cape Howe National Park. The Torbay Catchment Group will contract Mike Butcher and his team at Animal Pest Management Services (APMS) to bait, trap and conduct camera monitoring in West Cape Howe National Park in May and October for the next 3 years. We understand the ethical treatment of all animals is extremely important and feral animal control will be undertaken in line with relevant legislation in a humane and ethical manner. Mike has 37 years professional experience Australia-wide controlling pest animals and his methods of strategic baiting and trapping have had outstanding results.

Mike was awarded the 2014 Australasian Wildlife Management Society Practitioners Award for the management of loggerhead turtles at Gnaraloo, Western Australia, having reduced fox predation from 80-100% to zero for the past 5 seasons.

“We are urging all local landholders to concentrate their feral animal management during May and October to support our whole of landscape approach to feral animal control.” said Wendy Coffey (project officer) “Targeting these months will capture young animals finding new territory in autumn, and breeding pairs in spring. Strategic baiting, trapping and shooting is very effective at these times.”
The Torbay Catchment Group on the south coast of Western Australia, is a community-based volunteer organisation, whose primary focus is on protecting and restoring the health of the lands and waterways within the greater Torbay catchment and supporting a prosperous and sustainable community within the area.
For further information contact:

Form more information
Tel: 0439 461 591
Email: info@torbaycatchment.org.au