Pest animals and management

Pest animals and management
Photo of a feral cat eating a native bird
Pests can impact of the lives of our residents. Read about how pests can affect you and what Council is doing to reduce harm. Pest Animals canterbury bankstown Feral foxes, bees, wasps and other pests can impact of the lives of our residents. Read about how such creatures can affect you and what we as Council are doing to reduce harm.  
Photo of a feral cat eating a native bird

​​​

Pest animals can have a significantly negative impact on biodiversity, particularly in urbanised areas. Introduced species such as foxes, rabbits and cats are a major threat to the variety of species in our City and threaten the survival of many of our native animal species. Feral animals can out-compete native animals for resources such as food and breeding sites, spread disease, prey on native fauna and aggressively displace other fauna. 

​What is a pest animal?

Pest animals are defined as non-native, or introduced species that are, or have the potential to become, established in the wild through escape from captivity. Their introduction to the wild may be through deliberate or accidental release. It may also be a result of accidental or illegal importation.

A barking dog or possum may be a nuisance, however they are not officially classified as a pest. To be considered a pest animal species, it must be listed in the relevant legislation.

Pest animal species have a pronounced impact primarily on native fauna. Predation by several feral species have been listed as a key threatening process under the Threatened Species Conservation (TSC) Act 1995. The species listed under this Act known to occur in Canterbury-Bankstown are:

Other animals that are often considered pests, but that aren't listed under the TSC Act include: 
Native animals can also become a nuisance or danger. Brush-tailed possums, snakes, spiders and some birds are all well-known to get inside houses. Although these animals can be a nuisance, all native animals are protected by law in NSW.

What is Council doing?

Council works closely with neighbouring councils and state agencies to manage pest animals across the region. Council actively:

What can I do?

There are many things you can do to help reduce the impact of pest animals.

  • Do not release unwanted pets into parks or waterways;
  • Remove uneaten food from around your property and secure garbage bin lids;
  • Put several bells on your cat’s collar to warn wildlife of its approach and keep them indoors as much as possible;
  • Be sure to practice responsible pet ownership by desexing your pets to prevent unwanted/unplanned litters;
  • Regularly monitor your yard to ensure that pets are contained;
  • Learn more about new pest animals and how to report them; and
  • Report fox and other feral animal sightings on feral scan.