Tweed Shire Council is launching a project aimed at controlling invasive animals on the Tweed Coast.
The council is calling for wild dog sightings in the Pottsville, Round Mountain and Duranbah areas and seeking the public’s assistance to reduce the damage foxes, wild dogs and feral cats have on native fauna on the southern Tweed Coast.
Project Officer Tanya Fountain said council had received funding last year from the NSW Environmental Trust for a program to control invasive animals in this area.
She said one of the objectives of the program was to coordinate control of foxes, wild dogs and feral cats across public and private land on the southern extent of the Tweed Coast and adjacent rural areas, to reduce the impact these pest species have on native fauna.
“Foxes, wild dogs and feral cats are likely to be distributed across the whole Tweed Shire. However, funds under this project are limited and so the proposed fox, wild dog and feral cat control program has been restricted to an area of the Tweed Coast and surrounds, to ensure efforts are targeted and effective,” Tanya Fountain, said.
The proposed fox, wild dog and feral cat control area extends from Wooyung to Kings Forest along the Tweed Coast and west to the localities of Sleepy Hollow, Cudgera Creek, Round Mountain, Reserve Creek, Duranbah and Eviron.
“This area has been selected as it provides habitat for many threatened animals susceptible to pest animal predation, including ground-nesting birds, mammals, frogs and the Tweed Coast koala population,” she said.
To gain a better understanding of how wild dogs are moving through this landscape, Council is calling for wild dog information from landholders and residents who live in the project area. Council would like any information on:
• Where and when landholders have sighted or heard wild dogs.
• How many dogs sighted and if dogs had young.
• Any wild dog den sites.
• How dogs move through their local area.
If you have relevant information within the project area, please contact Project Officer Tanya Fountain on (02) 6670 2587 or tfountain@tweed.nsw.gov.au.
The Livestock Health and Pest Authority can also assist rural landholders in providing advice and assistance in eradicating declared pests. They can be contacted on (02) 6621 2317.
The Livestock Health and Pest Authority will hold a short training course at Pottsville which will allow landholders to use 1080 and Pindone baits on their properties to control wild dogs, foxes, feral pigs and rabbits. The course will be held on Tuesday, March 5 from 9am to noon at the Pottsville Environment Centre. Bookings are essential. Please contact Wendy Gibney on (02) 6626 7028 or wendy.gibney@byron.nsw.gov.au
