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More feral animals...
| Feral Animal | Where it came from | Why it was introduced | It is a threat to... | What can/is being done |
Donkey |
Africa |
As a means of transport & to carry loads. Escaped or were released into the wild |
Eat plants, the food supply of native animals, trample soil and plants | Caught & tamed, hunted and killed for pet food |
Brumby (feral horse) |
Europe |
As a farm animal, to pull heavy loads, and to be ridden and raced. Escaped or released into the wild |
Eat plants, the food supply of native animals; trample soil and native plants |
Caught & tamed. Some are hunted & killed for pet food |
Goat |
Europe |
As food supply & to clear land by eating wild scrub plants. Many escaped into the wild from farms & homesteads |
Hooves damage soil & the habitat of native animals. They eat plants, the food supply of native animals. |
Skins are made into leather for belts and shoes. Some are mated with tame goats to make better wool |
Dingo |
Asia | Brought to Australia about 40 000 years ago by Aborigines as a pet and hunting companion | Eat native animals & birds | Dingos breed with feral dogs so the pure dingo species is also under threat itself |
Cat |
Europe | As pets: they escaped into wild or were dumped there | Hunt native mammals such as the bilby, birds and reptiles as well as farm animals such as lambs, chickens and ducks | Hunted and trapped |
Dog |
Europe | As pets or as working dogs for cattle and sheep. Some escaped into the wild or were dumped. | Domestic animals such as sheep in particular, calves, and also poultry | Shot, trapped or poisoned |
Acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
Sydenham & Thomas, Australia's Feral Animals [Online] www.kidcyber.com.au (2008)
Back to Australia's Feral Animals
Updated 2008
Updated 2008