Feral animals impact on native species through competition for food, water and shelter, destroying habitat, spreading diseases and predation.  

 

In Australia, feral animals typically have few natural predators or fatal diseases and most generally have high reproductive rates. As a result, their populations have threatened the survival of many of our native species.  Our team at Arkaba Station are dedicated in their fight against feral animals and have been working hard to eradicate these pests to create a private wilderness sanctuary amongst 40,000 acres of our 60,000 acre property. 

 

Arkaba Station is a 60,000 acre working sheep station and whilst it is important to us that we retain our pastoral heritage we have reduced the number of sheep on the property and reduced the grazing area to 20,000 acres of sectioned land.  The remaining 40,000 acres is for the development of our own private wilderness sanctuary.  Through our own efforts and those in conjunction with ‘Operation Bounceback’ we have eradiated 630+ feral goats on the property in the last 18 months.  

 

In addition our team have also removed an estimated 260+ feral foxes (due to inaccuracy of baiting feedback) and 42+ feral cats.  

 

Thanks to a wonderful few seasons and through our feral animal control program, we have seen 10 new bird species added to our species check list: 

 

• Nankeen Night Heron

• Straw Necked Ibis

• White Necked Heron

• Peregrine Falcon 

• Black Eared Cuckoo

• Horsefield’s Bronze Cuckoo

• Spotted Nightjar 

• White Eared Honeyeater 

• Silvereye

• Zebra Finch 

• Welcome Swallow 

 

Whilst some of these bird species may have been found in the Flinders area, we had not previously sighted them on our property since we opened in November 2009. The reptile population has also exploded, and we have good numbers of Goanna, Bearded Dragons and Red Barred Dragons across the property.

 

There are also two healthy Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby colonies located on the southern Elder Range. Their habitat crosses both Arkaba Station and the Flinders Ranges National Park.  

Feral animal control is an ongoing effort we have our next control program starting at the end of this month.  

 

The rewards of our hard work are undeniable, and guests staying at Arkaba Station not only enjoy the stunning outback landscape and topography of the station but also an amazing array of native bird and wildlife for which it calls home.  

 

 

A feral cat taking bait with the trap in the background to get them accustomed to the trap's presence.