Farm animals on the loose in National Parks

[DJ Wombat]

I've met lots of domestic animals in the wild in national parks since last year, mostly in Morton, Budawang, Monga and Deua strip.

Most of them are goats and cattles, occasionally deers, luckily no dogs yet.

Around Ettrema Top and Ettrema headwater area, I even met emus 3 times. Thought they were wild at first sight but some research told me there are no wild emus in Morton. Until last week a friend runs a farm in Nerriga told me that there used to be an Emu Farm in St George. Due to some reason the farmer fed up and set loose the big birds. That same friend told me he once witness a very vicious scene along Shoalhaven River where some wild dogs attacking a gang of wild hogs with a mum leading a group of piglets.

I think it would become a bigger problem if no proper control of the issue. They would turn feral, disrupt the fragile eco system, and causing fatal traffic accidents (country roads are usually 80-100km/r)

National Park authorities should already know the problem well, but not sure what actions they take now.
At NSW Police website, it says "If you come across straying livestock on a public road, your first point of contact should be your local council or Local Land Services".

[tom_brennan]

What made you think there are no wild emus in Morton?

[DJ Wombat]

National Park & Environmental Services authorities have listed up wild emu population distribution in NSW, the common emus are found west of Snowy & Murray Valley (mostly outback), while the rare Coastal Emus are confined in Upper North Coast between Evans Head & Red Rock. Though there were sighting events in between Wombeyan Caves & Wollondilly. South Coast is believed to have none.
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/pl ... nimals/emu

[puredingo]

Well I’m here to tell you this!!

I was on the wollondilly and surrounds a couple of months ago and I seen more Emus than anywhere else I’ve been in Oz, including central NSW and up the centre. I was running into mobs around every turn, it was great. Also I seen quite a few dingoes, pure dingoes not these wild dog, ferals I hear about. Two were hot on my heels for a bit till I turned around and made a bit of a lunge.
BUT! Best of all and most heartening was not one single pig to report. Not sure if there’s a link between the two but not to see a pig or random scrub cattle has been a rare thing in the past,

[tom_brennan]

National Park & Environmental Services authorities have listed up wild emu population distribution in NSW, the common emus are found west of Snowy & Murray Valley (mostly outback), while the rare Coastal Emus are confined in Upper North Coast between Evans Head & Red Rock. Though there were sighting events in between Wombeyan Caves & Wollondilly. South Coast is believed to have none.
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/pl ... nimals/emu

That list of national parks doesn't seem exclusive. Just where they are common. Like puredingo, I've seen lots in the Wollondilly (years ago) as well as some around Morton. Where they came from originally, don't know.
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observat ... n_id=20504

[Xplora]

I've met lots of domestic animals in the wild in national parks since last year, mostly in Morton, Budawang, Monga and Deua strip.

Most of them are goats and cattles, occasionally deers, luckily no dogs yet.

Around Ettrema Top and Ettrema headwater area, I even met emus 3 times. Thought they were wild at first sight but some research told me there are no wild emus in Morton. Until last week a friend runs a farm in Nerriga told me that there used to be an Emu Farm in St George. Due to some reason the farmer fed up and set loose the big birds. That same friend told me he once witness a very vicious scene along Shoalhaven River where some wild dogs attacking a gang of wild hogs with a mum leading a group of piglets.

I think it would become a bigger problem if no proper control of the issue. They would turn feral, disrupt the fragile eco system, and causing fatal traffic accidents (country roads are usually 80-100km/r)

National Park authorities should already know the problem well, but not sure what actions they take now.
At NSW Police website, it says "If you come across straying livestock on a public road, your first point of contact should be your local council or Local Land Services".

If you are seeing 'domestic' animals in NP's I would suggest they are already feral but sometimes stock will stray from adjacent farmland and the appropriate point of contact would be the land manager such as NPWS for NP's. Straying stock will be easily identified due to ear tags and other markings, Parks Vic has done extensive control of wild cattle around McKillops Bridge. Feral animals or invasive species are in every national park and land manages spend a lot of money controlling or at least trying to control them. This is done by baiting and shooting mostly or in the case of horses, trapping is also used. I wouldn't have any concerns about seeing Emus unless you are travelling to Brooms Head. Quite a few get smacked on that road. Emus will struggle in areas where large invasive species cohabitate. Tom Groggin has some Emus but the feral horse population may contribute to the small numbers by trampling eggs. Emus were prevalent in Alpine and Sub Alpine areas but have declined significantly over the years.

Deer are responsible for a large number of vehicle write offs and mostly due to the speed of impact. Insurance data is actually available on this. Horses too have been involved in many crashes along the Alpine roads but the NSW government protects a significant number that regular wander on the road near Kiandra and Three Mile Dam. To be fair it was the previous government's legislation and there are not enough numbers in the senate to repeal it.