Ms BADGER – Minister, I understand you’re currently working on the 2024‑2029 cat management plan. There’s nothing new in this budget to deal with the serious issue of cats, notwithstanding the new centre in the north was from the last budget. One tool that you have is the Felixers that are being rolled out. There are some concerns about the accuracy of the Felixers not just getting cats but possibly also affecting Tasmanian devils. Can you please present us with the data on the accuracy of the Felixers, if there have been devils or other native animals impacted, how many there are, and how you’re actually going to get on top of the cat issue?
Mr PEARCE – The feral cat issue is something that troubles me, and it has from day‑one. If I could eradicate all of them tomorrow, then I would. The particular program that you’re talking about is –
A member – All of the unregistered ones.
Ms BADGER – Except the pets, maybe?
Mr PEARCE – I said feral.
Ms HADDAD – Sure. Thank you, minister.
Mr PEARCE – I’m not a feral cat lover. Anyway, the program that you’re talking about is a robotic system that sprays 1080 at the animal. We don’t want to see unintended consequences with that, and you rightly point out the devil population that exists and has to coexist in that environment. It’s not just devils, it’s quolls and possums and all other sorts of things that we don’t want as ‘casualties of war’, pardon the pun. These are being trialled.
I can throw it to the secretary in a moment with the extent of those, but we don’t want to release something that goes rogue and kills something that it shouldn’t. We’re very proud of the work that we’ve done in wildlife management services around, you know, the devil sustainment and population increases, so we’re very trepidatious about it and we want to make sure. I’ll just throw to the secretary.
Mr JACOBI – Through you, minister, you rightly point out that Felixers devices, are fundamental to getting on top of cats, particularly in remote areas. The artificial intelligence in those devices is improving every day. Every time we get a detection, the artificial intelligence is refining its knowledge and understanding and detection of a cat compared to a Tasmanian devil or a wombat. Every day it’s getting better.
I believe it’s important to note, though, that in the collaborative projects that we’re doing with NRM, like Bruny Island and our offshore islands, the Felixer devices are currently only permitted for use on Tasmanian offshore islands where there are no non-target species that could be mistaken for a cat, such as Tasmanian devils, spotted‑tail quolls and wombats. Until the artificial intelligence is so good that there is there is no room for error, we’re only assigning it for use in offshore islands where we are confident there can’t be any non‑target species.
Ms BADGER – To clarify, we’re just after the data on how they’re going.
Mr JACOBI – I do not have the data on target species versus non‑target species, but we could endeavour to try and collect the information on numbers of cats on offshore islands. There’s a fair body of work involved to do that. I’m curious to know the purpose, or the intent, of knowing that.
Ms BADGER – To see how that is improving over time, as you point out, as they’re being used, to gain an understanding of how that’s come along. I assume that data does exist.
Mr PEARCE – I’m happy to accept on face value the premise and the genuine nature of your question. If it will suffice, we’ll deliver an operational report of a summary of what we have at hand.
Ms BADGER – Sure.
Mr PEARCE – Are you happy with that, Chair?
CHAIR – Yes.
Ms BADGER – A summary would be lovely, thank you. My second question was on rabbits. Minister, I appreciate it was before your time, but last term we tabled a petition on behalf of people in Mole Creek, which was signed by people right around Tasmania, who are dealing with the rabbit issue. In particular, it addressed the damage that the warrens are doing to community sports fields and the structural integrity of many farming properties, as well as community assets.
There have been issues in the past with the reliance on the single laboratory in the nation to get the calicivirus. When Tasmania did get the calicivirus, can you confirm whether that was ineffective because it was rolled out at the wrong time or in the wrong conditions, and whether or not, given the lab shortage in the past, there will be a calicivirus in the coming year or two?
Mr PEARCE – Rabbits are notoriously difficult to manage, and seasonal conditions affect calicivirus, as you rightly point out. The most effective and cost-efficient way of controlling rabbits occurs when there’s an integrated pest management control measure applied. This involves multiple methods, such as baiting, warren‑ripping, surface harbour removal, exclusion fencing and fumigation.
NRE provides advice and support about wild rabbits to landowners, including the use of approved poisons such as pindone and the release of calicivirus where conditions are suitable.
You rightly point out the calicivirus was probably not as effective as it could have been. However, releasing the calicivirus at the wrong time can infect rabbits less than 12 weeks old, which are naturally immune to the calicivirus. It’s not a well-known fact, but it’s true. This risks that animal building an immunity within rabbit populations, so you have a rabbit population which is immune from calicivirus, and which is breeding, aided by the Darwinian effect, to make the calicivirus less effective.
Biosecurity Tasmania released calicivirus at over 400 individual properties between February and June this year, and the calicivirus release worked well in some areas and not so well in others, as you’ve already pointed out. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the immediate rabbit population exposed to calicivirus at release sites died, but the virus did not spread to the surrounding populations, as we would have hoped. I’m advised that there is a range of factors that might impact the effectiveness of calicivirus as a control option, including the level of immunity within the rabbit population reducing the efficacy of the release and the department is now reviewing the effectiveness of the roll out so that we can learn lessons for next year. It’s important.
A new Invasive Species Action Plan is also being developed to tackle invasive species, including those feral cats and more rabbits. It’s also important to remember that the calicivirus is just one of the tools, as I said before, in controlling rabbits. It’s not a silver bullet and it must be used in conjunction with other control measures.
Successful rabbit control also depends on a large degree of cooperation between landowners. If we can get a series of landowners to work together on rabbit control and invasive species control, then it’s easier to control the entire population.
Ms BADGER – I know you’re very passionate about this minister, but can I just draw you to the question which were the conditions this year. To clarify, it wasn’t as successful because the conditions weren’t ideal this year and you have secured some for the coming season, if you like.
Mr PEARCE – Yes.
Ms BADGER – Yes to both. Thank you.
