There are now over 5 million feral goats in western NSW.
The Invasive Species Council has welcomed the release by Environment Minister Plibersek of a new national plan to tackle feral goats.
The draft threat abatement plan for competition and land degradation by unmanaged goats outlines new and continuing actions needed to reduce the huge environmental impact of feral goats, including through overgrazing and soil erosion.
“Feral goats are one of the worst invasive species in Australia. They stop regeneration of bushland, overgraze, outcompete native animals, erode our soils and stream banks and reduce carbon storage in the landscape,” said Lyall Grieve, Conservation and Biosecurity Analyst for the Invasive Species Council.
“This is an important plan which outlines some ambitious objectives that if funded, prioritised and implemented fully will go some way to reduce the impacts of goats on our environment.
“The focus on island eradications is particularly important as we know this is achievable and will lead to huge biodiversity benefits.
“Minister Plibersek has now released a feral deer plan, a feral cat plan, a feral goat plan and made strong statements on the need for urgent action on feral horses.
“This is very welcome and important, but in order to make a real difference on the ground we need the Albanese government to back up their words with significant new money so that these plans can be implemented.
“The plan does not resolve the ongoing conflict between the huge environmental impact of feral goats and the commercial drive that keeps their numbers high in western NSW.
“Feral goats are a textbook example of why setting up a market for feral animals almost always fails to reduce their numbers and impact on the landscape.
“Ever since feral goat harvesting was actively promoted by government programs in western NSW, their numbers have exploded.
“There are now over 5 million feral goats in western NSW which is almost a ten fold increase since commercial harvesting was promoted as a way to get their numbers down in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“We will never get on top of the feral goat problem while they are treated as a commodity for some rather than a pest.”
“The next step after the release of this plan, must be federal and state funding for long term suppression programs and ongoing research into new, effective control options,” said Mr Grieve.