Wildlife control needed

The significant growth of irrigated agriculture across much of Tasmania’s arable land has seen a dramatic growth in high quality pastures and high value crops which in turn have produced an abundant feed source for wildlife, whose population has increased accordingly.

Visible evidence of the dramatic increase in wildlife numbers is the increase in roadkill as witnessed by the significant increase in car insurance claims for collisions with wildlife reported by both AAMI and RACT insurance. Wildlife is spreading from Crown land to agricultural land and onto the roads.

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In 2020 TasFarmers conducted a survey of our members to gauge the extent of wildlife damage to farming operations. Combining the value of lost production with the costs of control, the cost incurred to the 250 members that responded totaled over $9 million per year.

The most numerous problem species reported were; Bennetts and rufous wallaby, brushtail possum, feral cats, sulphur crested cockatoo, crows and deer. Other, more area specific, problem species reported included Forester kangaroo, rabbits, hares, ducks, swans and wombats. 

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The recently reported figures regarding Property Protection Permits for 2023 reveal the ongoing extent and scale of the problem and reflect the numbers that primary producers are confronted with, for example over 300 thousand Bennetts wallaby, over 200 thousand Rufous wallaby and over 100 thousand Brushtail possums taken in that one year. The value of the crops and pastures that those animals would have consumed equates to nearly $12 million.

It is noted that not all of the permits reported would have been for agricultural purposes, and many of the permits issued for lesser species would have been single, one-off entities.

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TasFarmers is currently working with the Department (NRE) to devise and implement a more comprehensive approach to reducing the impact of wildlife damage. In addition to property protection permits measures being considered include such areas as; rebates for game fencing which costs up to $15,000 per kilometre, access to baiting systems with less ‘off-target’ damage, and working with Local Government to enforce better feral cat control.

For Tasmania to continue to produce high quality food, fibre and pharmaceuticals, be it meat, vegetables, grain, milk, hemp, poppies or timber, we will have to continue to manage our wildlife in a sustainable manner that requires a range of options including population control.