2015-11-10 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                                                 10 NOVEMBER 2015


15                       PROPOSED INTENSIVE WILD DOG TRAPPING PROGRAM
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                               Manager Waste and Environmental Health, Wayne Schafer
                                     Community Services Department

Index                                ECM/Environmental Management/Pest Management

Attachments                          Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not Applicable

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Manager of Waste and Environmental Health to the
Infrastructure & Services Committee Meeting dated 10 November 2015 and
A.                       Agree to conduct a trial of an intensive wild dog and fox trapping program over a period of
                         3 months using external contractors at an estimated cost of $39,000; and
B.                       Approve the additional funding of $39,000 through the next quarterly budget review
                         process.


REPORT
1.                       Background

The number of foxes in the Noosa Shire is on the increase. Foxes have being observed adjacent
to and in urban areas in much higher numbers than previously, particularly at Teewah. Council’s
Pest Management Staff are having difficulty maintaining control over wild dogs and foxes and
other feral animals within the region. This has resulted from the following:
                       Council’s principal Pest Control Officer who manages wild dogs, foxes and other feral
                         animals is currently incapacitated due to an unfortunate motor vehicle accident. He has
                         been off work since 20 July 2015 and it is unlikely he will be fit to return to work for at least
                         3 months.
                       Fox numbers have been steadily increasing despite successful controls being undertaken
                         when the principal pest control officer was operational.
                       Wild dogs are a constant problem requiring ongoing pest number reduction.
                       National Parks border many of our coastal areas and NPWS have been reluctant to control
                         foxes on their land. These pests are infesting urban land.
                       Sixteen (16) soft foothold traps were put out at Teewah on Council owned land on 20
                         October which resulted in only 2 foxes being trapped.
                       Trapping and baiting in National Parks would be much more effective.

Previously, customer requests relating to feral animals went directly to the principal pest control
officer and were not formally recorded. It is assumed that many enquiries were sent directly
rather than via Council’s customer request system. For the current year to date Council has
formally recorded:
                       108 complaints about wild animals (dogs, foxes, birds, pigs, deer) on public land.
                       57 complaints about feral animals on private land.




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