Fox baits to be laid from Ballina to Evans Head
A co-operative baiting program to reduce the threat foxes pose to the threatened Pied Oystercatchers is set to begin along coastal land from Ballina to Evans Head, the NSW Environment Department said.
The department says baiting is conducted annually by the Rural Lands Protection Board, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Department of Lands, the Department of Defence and private landholders.
“Fox control on Crown land at South Ballina, in Richmond River Nature Reserve and at Broadwater and Bundjalung National Parks, is part of a successful ongoing program of the NSW Fox Threat Abatement Plan (Fox TAP),” it said.
Pest Animal Ranger for the Tweed-Lismore Rural Lands Protection Board, Neil Hing, said that the poison baits are buried at specific locations to avoid non-target animals taking them.
“Foxes uncover the baits and leave their tracks, confirming that a fox actually took the bait,” Mr Hing said.
NPWS Pest Management Officer Lisa Wellman said that in the three years prior to baiting, which began in 1997, only one Pied Oystercatcher chick was successfully fledged in the South Ballina area. Since then the annual baiting has been one of the most important factors in the successful fledging of more than 89 chicks.
“A study in coastal NSW found that sightings of ringtail possums more than doubled following fox control. Foxes also spread weeds such as bitou bush, so fewer foxes also means less weed infestations.
“Signs advising visitors of the baiting are in place and people are reminded that pets are not permitted in national parks and to keep their animals out of these areas.”
Kersten Tuckey from the Department of Lands advised that ‘dogs are only permitted on the beach in the designated dog off-leash areas at Patches Beach and Evans Head’.
“People should take extra care to prevent their animals from roaming during the baiting period,” Ms Tuckey said.
“Temporary signs will also be placed on the beach, 150 metres either side of nests, asking beach users to remain clear of these areas.
“Nesting birds are easily disturbed, leading to eggs being cooked in the sun or eaten by predators. Pied Oystercatchers are listed as a vulnerable species in NSW and the area between Ballina and Evans Head is one of the most important breeding sites and is vital for the survival of the species.”
