Numbats are among the threatened mammals that benefit from 1080 baiting for foxes and feral cats. Photo: AAP /Richard Wainwright
As the future of Australia’s most vulnerable species becomes ever more uncertain, the effective use of 1080 baiting remains critical to control one of their key threats: introduced predators like feral cats and foxes.
Australia has some of the most unique wildlife and biodiversity in the world, but these two impressive predators have already snuffed out 32 native animal species and are helping to drive more than 200 more to extinction.
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Together with the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, the national feral cat and fox management co-ordinator Gillian Basnett is sounding the alarm as misinformation surrounding sodium fluoroacetate (commonly known as 1080) undermines its critical place as a lifeline for native species.
“Effective 1080 baiting is the ‘thin green line’ that protects many of our threatened and other native species from extinction,” Ms Basnett said.
“The facts around 1080 are clear: native animals have a higher tolerance to this toxin than introduced predators. Native species that live in the south-west of WA, where more fluoroacetate-bearing plants naturally occur, have an even higher natural tolerance to 1080.”
As a result, only tiny amounts of the toxin are needed for effective feral cat and fox baits. If native animals such as eagles, goannas, brush-tailed possums or quolls ingest a bait, they will not receive a lethal dose.
“It’s important to remember that baits are not 100 per cent toxin and only authorised and properly trained operators are permitted to handle 1080 and prepare baits,” Ms Basnett said.
“Each bait is carefully developed to contain the minimum amount of 1080 required for the target species, in this case a feral cat or fox.”
A fox bait contains 3mg of 1080 and a feral cat bait 4.5mg. For context, in eastern Australia, a wedge-tailed eagle would need to ingest at least 10 fox baits to be lethal, spotted-tailed quoll more than three fox baits, sand goannas more than 70 and southern brown bandicoots between two fox baits and five (if they were in the south-west of Western Australia).
Effective baiting programs are conducted in a targeted manner by highly trained and licenced people, with restrictions to reduce risk.
Precious native species like dunnarts are on the menu for feral cats and foxes. Photo: AAP
Research projects and targeted predator 1080 baiting control programs have demonstrated its advantages, with native wildlife not only surviving but thriving as the bait reduces predation pressure. It is also safe for the environment as bacteria and fungi found in water and soil break it down rapidly into harmless compounds.
For some critically endangered species, even one or two feral cats or foxes can wipe them out. The low risk of an individual native animal consuming a lethal dose of 1080 is far outweighed by effectively controlling these predators.
Nationally threatened mammals that benefit from 1080 baiting for foxes and feral cats include the endangered numbats, southern brown bandicoots, woylies, western and eastern barred-bandicoots and black-flanked rock-wallabies, and the vulnerable long-nosed potoroos, boodies, greater bilbies, greater stick-nest rats, western quolls, yellow-footed rock-wallabies and golden bandicoots.
“We have a choice to make, we either protect our native wildlife or we leave invasive predators like feral cats and foxes unchecked, to eat more precious wildlife into extinction,” Ms Basnett said.
It should be noted that risk assessments should always be undertaken before embarking on a baiting program and outcomes need to be monitored to determine success, or to identify unintended consequences early in the program.
Centre for Invasive Species Solutions chief executive officer Shauna Chadlowe endorses the use of 1080, stating it is currently the best control tool available.
Along with advocating for best practice invasive species management using current methods, the centre prioritises humaneness and is committed to collaborating with its partners to develop new and improved control tools.
“Techniques such as gene drive, for example, have great promise but are still in the developmental stage. There are no practical, effective alternatives to 1080 for predator control over large landscapes and rugged terrain,” Ms Chadlowe said.
“Without an ability to effectively manage these invasive predators, more unique Australian wildlife will be lost.”
