Feral Herbivores

Feral herbivores are animals that are plant-eating and not native to Australia. They were once domestic herds but have escaped or been released and are not cared for or owned by people. This includes:

• Rabbits
• Cattle
• Goats
• Camels
• Deer
• Pigs
• Horses
• Donkeys

Many of these feral herbivores have established large unmanaged populations across Australia.

Feral herbivores are a threat to biodiversity and healthy Country

Feral herbivores can harm native plants and Country if they aren’t managed because their behaviour can be destructive, including grazing on native plants, trampling native vegetation, damaging waterways, digging or trampling soil leading to:

• Soil compaction and erosion
• Spread of weeds
• Poor seedling regeneration
• Decline or loss of native plant species
• Water pollution and changed water flows
• Changed fire regimes

Feral herbivores are also a threat to native animals because they can cause the loss of important animal habitats, and they compete with many native species for food and shelter.

The impacts of feral herbivores may be listed as a key threatening processes to native species under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Managing feral herbivores

Feral herbivores in Australia are usually well-adapted and widespread, which makes eradication difficult. Best practice management of feral herbivores therefore focuses on protecting important areas like waterways and healthy native habitats. For best results, it is usually done at the same time as other invasive animals like Feral Cats, weed management and replanting of native vegetation.

Control methods include exclusion fencing, mustering, trapping, baiting and shooting.