New research has revealed that 1080 bait may not be as effective at targeting specific predators as first thought, with producers encouraged to monitor their baits to secure the best bang for their buck.
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An experiment conducted in the semi-arid Big Desert-Wyperfeld region of southeastern Australia found non-target species accounted for 88 per cent of bait interactions, compared with 12 per cent of target species.
During 70 days of observation, only one dingo interacted with the non-poisoned meat bait, buried in accordance with baiting guidelines provided to farmers, primary industry workers and national parks staff. Foxes made up just 17 of the 146 total bait interactions.
Deakin University PhD student Rachel Mason said the experiment was an important opportunity to formally monitor the efficacy of a pest management program broadly regarded as best practice.
"There's a lot of baiting that happens, but not a lot of monitoring to figure out what actually happens to the baits we're putting out," she said.
"The idea is that if you're putting baits out for foxes, then foxes are supposed to be the animal that comes along and digs it up. But mostly it wasn't those species at all."
Ms Mason and her research colleagues found small native mammals, kangaroos, and echidnas interacted with the bait most, sometimes trying a bite, or digging up the bait for other animals to find.
The semi-arid mallee country of Wyperfeld is similar to mallee lands near Condobolin, Wentworth, Baranald and Pooncarrie, which also experienced wetter than average conditions throughout the time of the experiment, in 2022.
Ms Mason said there were lessons to be learned from the timing and conditions.
"If it's a good season, then you might get less target animals interested in baits, because there's so much other food around, and there are just so many of the baits just sitting there ... you have a higher chance for these non target species to come along and find them," she said.
"The main thing this points out to me is that we just need more monitoring."
Establishing monitoring systems may cost more at first, but understanding exactly which species are taking the bait could help producers implement better pest control strategies on their properties.
"From a livestock and agricultural point of view, it can be an important tool to protect livestock, but I think a lot of the time we actually have no idea how effective these programs are," she said.
"Having an understanding of the outcomes means that you can use more targeted baiting methods, such as canid pest ejectors, or combine baiting with other tools such as livestock guardian animals, to get the best outcomes possible."
As the discourse surrounding feral pig management, bounties, and the best ways to reduce the burden of vertebrate pests only heats up, there's plenty of room for more research, and new ways to approach pest management.
"The debate is happening anyway, so getting an idea of whether [baiting] is actually working is only going to make it more effective," Ms Mason said.
Eliza Spencer
Eliza is a journalist based in Cowra, in the state's Central West. When she's not at the saleyards or keeping an eye out for all things biosecurity, you can find her studying for a Cert III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management, and trying to grow a veggie garden.
Eliza is a journalist based in Cowra, in the state's Central West. When she's not at the saleyards or keeping an eye out for all things biosecurity, you can find her studying for a Cert III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management, and trying to grow a veggie garden.
