Major feral animals
Pigs and feral horses are the principal pests of the Gulf region
as they impact on both pastoralists and natural ecosystems through
the entire region. Feral cats are widespread throughout the Gulf
Country, as are cane toads. However the impacts of both of these on
native animals in the Gulf continue to be poorly understood.
Feral species, in the Gulf region, that have the most potential
to significantly impact on the natural environment or pastoral
activities include the following:
- Natural environment:
- Pig, cane toad, cat, horse
- Pastoral:
Distribution and density
- Donkey—found in the north-west sector of the region
- Horse—densest populations located along the coastal
region with a patchy distribution of high to low densities
inland
- Pig—inhabit the entire region with densities increasing
to their highest towards Queensland
- Cat—distributed throughout the entire region
- Rabbit—seasonal, small isolated pockets around the
south
- Fox—seasonal, isolated areas mostly in the east
- Cane toad—spread throughout the entire region
- Buffalo—scattered occurrence restricted to the far
north-west.
