Autumn baiting to protect endangered birds

• Western Shield baiting on south coast targeting feral cats and foxes

• Eradicat® bait to help protect critically endangered western ground parrot 

Autumn feral cat and fox baiting is underway at Western Australia's south coast conservation reserves as part of the successful Western Shield wildlife recovery program.

Environment Minister Albert Jacob said feral cats were being targeted with Eradicat® bait to protect western ground parrot habitat in Cape Arid National Park, and in Nuytsland Nature Reserve where the critically endangered bird species was recently found for the first time in a decade.

"With about 90 per cent of western ground parrot habitat impacted by bushfires in October and November last year, feral cat baiting is a vital tool for reducing levels of predation for this species," Mr Jacob said.

"In the case of western ground parrots, use of Eradicat® has helped the wild population in Cape Arid survive where other south coast populations have disappeared.

"Earlier this month, Department of Parks and Wildlife staff, along with volunteers, recorded western ground parrot calls in Nuytsland Nature Reserve for the first time since 2006.

"Together with calls and sightings in two other small areas of unburnt vegetation in Cape Arid recently, the surveys show these birds are hanging on and benefiting from the intensive work being done by the department to conserve the species."

The Minister said baiting with Eradicat® would also be conducted at the environmentally significant Two Peoples Bay and Mount Manypeaks nature reserves, and at Fitzgerald River National Park, covering 295,000 hectares.

"An operational research trial of Eradicat® at Fitzgerald River National Park will help determine the optimum timing of baiting at south coast sites.  Remote cameras will be used to track feral cat activity before and after baiting," he said.

In addition, there will be routine fox baiting under Western Shield across 465,000ha of reserves on the south coast during autumn.

Fact File

• South coast Western Shield fox and feral cat baiting is helping protect vulnerable and threatened native animals in an international biodiversity hotspot

• Under Western Shield, about one million fox and feral cat baits are laid annually across more than three million hectares of Department of Parks and Wildlife-managed land, from the Pilbara to east of Esperance 

Minister's office - 6552 5800