Pest Animal Management Plan

Several stakeholders are involved in pest animal management.

Private landowners/managers

Have a duty to manage the biosecurity risk of pest animals on the properties they own or manage. 

We encourage working in partnership with other stakeholders, such as neighbouring private lands and Council, to improve effectiveness.

Private landowners/managers also have a duty to report any emerging or alert species they see to Local Land Services. 

Council

Has a duty to manage the biosecurity risk of pest animals on Council-managed lands. 

Although not a legislative requirement, Byron Shire Council helps private landowners that are adjacent or between Council-managed lands with pest control activities, when resources allow. 

NSW Local Land Services

A subset of the NSW Government, Local Land Services (LLS) offers planning and coordination of terrestrial vertebrate pest management at a regional level.  They facilitate participation in general invasive species management including education and legislation compliance.

Byron Shire sits within the North Coast region and is overseen by the North Coast LLS.  

The North Coast Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan is the basis for our Byron Shire Council’s Pest Animal Management Plan. 

LLS also provides operational assistance during invasive species incursions and surveillance operations. 

State Government

Has a general biosecurity duty to manage the biosecurity risk of pest animals on State Government managed land.  The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is the lead agency for invasive species policy in NSW.  It also takes a lead role in managing new terrestrial and aquatic invasive species incursions and for managing established aquatic pests.

They work with federal agencies and regional stakeholders to help manage alert and emerging pest species.

Federal Government

Has a general biosecurity duty to manage the biosecurity risk of pest animals on any federally-managed land.  The federal government also provides overarching policy and management guidelines for pest species, such as the Australian Pest Animal Strategy, threat abatement plans for threatened species and national action plans for pest species, supporting state, regional and local government.

The federal government also provides support for state, regional and local governments in managing pest species, especially emerging and alert species.

The NSW Government provides standard operating procedures for the effective and humane lethal management of pest animals.

Non-lethal management of pests can be incorporated into pest management and is usually appropriate at a local level (e.g. individual paddock, field or properties).  It generally provides long-term asset protection to reduce damage caused by pest controls. 

Examples of non-lethal pest management methods 

• Netting
• Exclusion fencing 
• Livestock guarding animals
• Livestock husbandry practices.

Non-lethal methods can also be used with lethal control measures to prevent damage to assets, while also preventing local population increases.  

Emerging and alert species include:

• Feral deer
• Feral goats
• Feral pigs
• Indian ringnecked parrots
• Red-eared slider turtles
• Red fire ants
• Yellow crazy ants.

These species are the responsibility of Local Land Services and the State Government with support from the Federal Government, however, Council plays a role in assisting monitoring and incursion responses.

For more information visit Biosecurity Alerts

Dingoes are referred to as a native species in federal and state legislation.

The NSW Department of Environment defines “wild dogs” as any dog living in the wild, including:

• feral dogs
• dingoes 
• hybrids.

Dingoes are therefore, the only native species that are not protected in NSW.

There are three types of wild canids present in Australia.

• Dingoes (generally classified as an animal that has over 93% dingo DNA and no recent (in the last 150 years) hybridisation with feral dogs.
• Feral dogs - domestic dogs that are living wild. 
• Wild dogs which are dingo/feral dog hybrids/backcrosses.

The generalisation of these animals as ‘wild dogs’ has negatively impacted dingo populations.

Dingoes have been present in Australia for at least 3,500 years and are genetically, physiologically and behaviourally distinct from domestic dogs. 

Byron Shire Council’s approach to dingoes 

In response to the most recent research findings and the First Nations’ Dingo Declaration, we are investigating how we can adapt our pest management strategies.

We are working with researchers and other stakeholders to understand the genetic makeup of wild canids in Byron Shire. 

If genetically pure dingo populations are found in Byron Shire, we look at potential options for non-lethal dingo management, that adhere to legislation while also protecting agricultural assets and human safety.

More information

• Ancient genomes reveal over two thousand years of dingo population structure
• What were dingoes like before the European invasion? Centuries-old DNA reveals a surprising history
• Wild Dogs - NSW Department of Environment & Heritage website
• Protected Species - NSW Department of Environment & Heritage website

Responsible pet ownership plays an important role in managing pest species. 

Abandoned, free roaming or lost pets, including dogs, working dogs, cats and rabbits can cause increases in feral pest species and can result in significant environmental damage. 

More information about responsible pet ownership and managing pests to protect our environment and biodiversity is available on our website.