Development of an alert list for alien mammals and reptiles

About this project

There is limited quantitative information on the distribution and impact of alien mammals and reptiles in Australia. Except for a few species and their agricultural damage, the relationship between pest animal density and the level of damage is not known. Hence it is difficult for managers to plan and cost pest management programs because the level of control required to achieve a desired environmental outcome is not known or is difficult to estimate.

Studies are required to determine the impact of pests and the relationship between pest density and damage. For most situations adaptive management experiments based on ‘learning by doing’ offer the best prospect for obtaining this information in a cost-effective manner.