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The Relative Merits of Predator-Exclusion Fencing and Repeated Fox Baiting for Protection of Native Fauna: Five Case Studies from Western Australia

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Fencing for Conservation

Abstract

Predator-exclusion fencing and repeated use of baits containing the toxin sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) have been used widely for conservation purposes. Prior to implementation, the relative merits of each are rarely examined. We reviewed the general and specific advantages and disadvantages of each option and provided five case studies from Western Australia examining the outcomes of fencing and repeated baiting. There was a dearth of monitoring data and quantitative analyses of the effects from predator exclusion and repeated baiting. Despite the limited quantitative analyses, feral cats were an issue for areas baited for fox control. Both feral cats and foxes were an issue for fenced areas where incursions occurred and where eradication had not been achieved. There were clear long- and short-term advantages and disadvantages for each option and there was a need to identify the objectives and desired outcomes before deciding between the use of fencing and repeated baiting. Irrespective of the decision to use fencing, repeated baiting or both, there is a requirement to commit a non-trivial amount of resources to long-term maintenance and monitoring of the effectiveness of the approach adopted. Integrated control of foxes and feral cats is desperately required, as is a long-term management philosophy recognising the evolutionary potential of introduced predators and native fauna.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Peter Orell: Zoologist (Western Shield), Species and Communities Branch, Nature Conservation Division, Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth, WA.

  2. 2.

    Helen Crisp: Ecologist, Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, South Australia.

  3. 3.

    Colleen Sims: Project Eden Manager, Department of Environment and Conservation, Shark Bay District, Denham.

  4. 4.

    Matthew Hayward: South East Regional Ecologist, Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

  5. 5.

    Manda Page: South West Regional Ecologist, Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

  6. 6.

    Laura Zimmermann: Honours student, University of Western Australia.

  7. 7.

    Carlo Pacioni: PhD student, Murdoch University.

  8. 8.

    Neil Thomas: Principal Technical Officer, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australian Wildlife Research Centre.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Manda Page, Colleen Sims and Helen Crisp for their willingness to provide information from Karakamia Wildlife Sanctuary, Peron Peninsula and Roxby Downs, respectively. Thanks also to Peter Orell for providing information on the tammar wallaby population at Tutanning Nature Reserve, Carlo Pacioni for providing unpublished genetic data on woylie populations and Neil Thomas for providing information on the fate of translocated burrowing ­bettongs at Dryandra Woodland. We also thank Matt Hayward and the Society for Conservation Biology for the invitation to present the case studies from WA. Thanks to Suzanne Rosier for ­editing and advice on drafts and Matt Hayward and two anonymous referees for constructive ­comments on a draft.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Conservation and Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Western Australian Wildlife Research Centre, 51, Wanneroo, Western Australia, 6946, Australia

    Paul J. de Tores & Nicky Marlow

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  1. Paul J. de Tores
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Correspondence to Paul J. de Tores .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    Michael J. Somers

  2. Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 432, Nichol's Point, 3501, Australia

    Matthew Hayward

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de Tores, P.J., Marlow, N. (2012). The Relative Merits of Predator-Exclusion Fencing and Repeated Fox Baiting for Protection of Native Fauna: Five Case Studies from Western Australia. In: Somers, M., Hayward, M. (eds) Fencing for Conservation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0902-1_3

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