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Pests

Harassed staff overseeing aerial brumby cull treated 'almost as wanted criminals' online, NSW inquiry hears

Staff based at Jindabyne have been the subject of "escalating social media campaigns", as well as a firebomb threat and the dumping of a decapitated horse head, according to evidence shared during a NSW Upper House inquiry.
three horses walking next to each other in Kosciuszko National Park

Hunters call for end to deer eradication program hoping to be able to continue their sport

The South Australian government wants to get rid of the state's feral deer population by 2032 but hunters say the way they are doing it is cruel, unfair to landholders, and polluting the environment.
Updated
A man standing in front of deer trophies mounted on a wall.

Why farmers are being urged to make friends with venomous visitors

Usually snakes are unwelcome visitors on farms, but research suggests the benefits of their presence on agricultural land far outweighs the potential costs to farmers and graziers.
An eastern brown snake curled on the ground

Bird ranked one of the world's 100 most invasive species spreading its territory in Australia

When Indian mynas move into an area they force native birds out of their wood hollows and kill their chicks, leading to a decline in native bird numbers.
Indian Myna

Beloved Perth park to lose up to 20 per cent of trees as authorities battle invasive pest

Up to 20 per cent of trees at Perth's Hyde Park need to be removed due to an insect infestation affecting more than 80 suburbs in the city. 
Updated
A handful of people walk along a shady tree-lined path around a lake

What you can do in your own backyard to help minimise the spread of cane toads

Here's what you can do to prevent cane toads from making themselves at home on your property and how to humanely euthanase any you do find in your garden.
Updated
A close-up of a cane toad standing side-on to the camera, surrounded by blades of grass.

'Fingers crossed, this is a single ant': Notorious pest enters Tasmania from Queensland

Biosecurity officials launch an investigation after finding a red imported fire ant inside a package from Queensland at an Australia Post parcel centre in southern Tasmania.
Updated
Fire ant in extreme close up on a stick

'Complex supply chain' investigated as fire ants discovered deeper into NSW

There are fears a post-flood construction boom may be linked to the latest discovery of red fire ants in northern NSW, as authorities continue to trace the source.
Fire ant in extreme close up on a stick

Blisters and pain as fire ant nest uncovered in NSW outbreak

A gardener has been attacked by fire ants after disturbing a nest at a flood pod village. The find has raised questions around how the ants were introduced into the area.
Updated
A man's arm with many blisters on it from fire ant bites

Fire ants rafting in floodwaters

There are concerns a harmful invasive pest fire ants are using floodwaters to infest new areas.
ABC News Current
Duration: 25 seconds

Noticed wood shavings in your home or garden? It could be a sign of borers

As wet weather continues to pummel Queensland, a variety of timber-loving pests are making their way into drenched homes and gardens. 
Insect larvae lay in a pile of decaying wood that was once a timber post

Hitchhiking cane toad sparks race to trap pests before 'frontline' reaches WA tourist town

A 15cm-long cane toad found in Broome is believed to have travelled there in a vehicle from an infested area, and authorities expect there will be more.
A cane toad next to a measuring tape, measuring almost 15 centimetres long.

Summer is here and flies are everywhere, but what's the buzz on the good and the bad?

You may want every fly to buzz off this summer, but according to a nature writer, some deserve an invitation because the overwhelming majority of more than 30,000 species in Australia are too busy doing good deeds to have an interest in your barbecue.
Large grey fly with orange eyes on a leaf.

Cane toads are slowly marching across Australia. What's the most humane way to kill them?

Scientists says bludgeoning the invasive pests with a golf club or running them over with a car isn't just cruel — it's also potentially dangerous.
A cane toad sits on a hand in front of a dark background

Feral goats cause headache for one Tasmanian council

The flock of goats can often be seen perched on the cliffs in Otago Bay but they have now started crossing the road, creating a dangerous hazard.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 47 seconds

Kings Park trees to be removed as authorities race to contain deadly beetle infestation

Authorities are removing a number of Moreton Bay fig trees at Kings Park to prevent the spread of a deadly beetle infestation. 
Updated
A large tree with a sign in front of it.

'Sneaky' cane toad spotted in Broome a year ahead of pest's forecast march across Western Australia

A cane toad is spotted outside a Broome resort — the third local sighting in recent months — prompting fears more will arrive in the region soon.
Cane toad spotted on a footpath at the suburb of Cable Beach, in Broome.

Significant fish kill closes popular fishing spot near Blue Mountains

Investigations have begun into the deaths of large numbers of redfin at Lake Wallace near Lithgow in New South Wales.
Updated
A dead fish floating upside down.

Wildlife advocates, farmers at odds after NSW report shows kangaroo numbers down by two million

An official survey estimates the roo population declined significantly across New South Wales in the past 12 months, yet farmers say numbers appear healthy.
A single kangaroo in a paddock standing upright and looking at the camera from behind grass.

Cane toads blanket roads and backyards during breeding frenzy in coastal paradise

Wet and humid conditions lead to an explosion in cane toad populations with invasive species experts concerned for pets and native wildlife. 
A group of juvenile cane toads in a bucket.

Lengthy delays in fixing huge gap in wild dog fence 'defy comprehension'

A grazier whose property is situated at the start of a 32-kilometre-long gap in the wild dog, or dingo, fence says repair work has not begun despite the minister for agriculture claiming it is underway.
graziers assess fence

Ballistics expert questions calibre of guns being used to cull brumbies in national park

A NSW upper house inquiry into the aerial shooting of brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park has been told that the choice of weapon was behind the high number of shots required to kill the horses.
Nine brown horses run across a largely open plain, in the distance there are mountains.

Hunter calls out government aerial culling methods after deer found 'riddled' with bullets, broken legs

A hunter says he wants to make sure the government department and contractors shooting South Australia's feral deer are held accountable.
Fallow deer seen through a rifle scope.

Fire ants are on the march. Here’s what happens when they sting

Red imported fire ants are a particularly nasty type of ant and they're on the move in Australia.
Fire ant in extreme close up on a stick

The invasive pest being mistaken for beloved Christmas beetles

The famous Christmas beetle usually comes out in force at this time of year, but one scientist is noticing a surge in sightings of another not-so-welcome bug.
A close up of yellow and gold Christmas beetle